Blind: Extended Edition
by Tazaki4
Summary: A new twist on the classic Naruto. Two changes occur in the first three years of the story. Hiashi is Naruto's caretaker and Hinata's kidnapping attempt is partially... successful. New additional content, deleted scenes, less typos, and overall improved.
1. Prologue: The Death and Birth of a Hero

AN: Welcome to my new fanfic. I enjoy Naruto/Hinata sooo much that I thought of a new story to write before I begin my Naru/Tenten story. A few notes. This is a story following Naruto's life as I determine. TWO MAJOR CHANGES in this story from the actual Naruto. One: Naruto is adopted by the Hyuga's after the Kyuubi attack. Two: The kidnapping of Hinata partially succeeds. Thanks for reading and please review.

AN2 (2008): Just thought I would remind everyone that I am still here. Stuff happened, as it usually does, and I needed a break. I'll be back soon. Until then, I am correcting the earlier chapters for grammer and spelling as well as I can. And making it in the same style as the rest.

AN3(2009 BABY): Alright, welcome to Blind: Special Extended Cut Edition Thing

Whatever

So I decided that inbetween writing new stuff I would fix this story. Typos, whatnot... And add a little something as well.

* * *

Blind

by Tazaki4

* * *

Prologue: The Death and Birth of a Hero

* * *

"All Ninja at the walls! Protect the water experts! Use your best ninjutsu against it! We must not let it reach the city!"

The Yondaime Hokage of Konoha stood on the walls of the city he swore to protect. He had sent wave after wave of ninja towards the approaching monster and yet it didn't even seem to be harmed. He resolutely faced the terror in front of him with his two most trusted friends at his side. _No… my second and third most trusted friends. My best friend... _He remembered receiving the news of the first attack the Kyuubi had launched against Konoha. A massive fire ball had appeared out of the sky and had destroyed his entire clan in one explosion. His wife and an attendant were the only one who had survived the fire, yet the attendant died soon afterwards from the burns. His wife… had not been much better off. The explosion had caused her to go into labor and the med-teams had tried to both help his child and his wife… but only one of his family survived. Behind him lay the crying child he had brought into this world. It was in the middle of his sealing array. To his right stood Jiraiya, the toad sage and his sensei. He was watching as Gamabunta attempted to stall the giant fox but was failing horribly. To his left stood Hiashi Hyuga, his friend and rival since birth. He was directing the ninjas in an attempt to at least try and hurt the demon. The Fourth knew, though, that it was a false hope… An ANBU appeared at his side.

"Lord Hokage, what now?"

"Recall them…"

"What?"

"Get all of the ninjas back inside the walls." Both his friends looked his way, but the Hokage's face was resolute. Hiashi frowned.

"Alright, but you have better have a plan…"

"Hiashi, don't I always have a plan." The Fourth flashed his friend with one of his trademark smiles, one that threatened to split his face in half due to its size. Hiashi smiled in return. His friend hadn't smiled once since the news of his child's birth and wife's death had reached him, and even with the pain he could barely see behind it the Fourth still smiled. Hiashi immediately used hand signals to tell the ANBU under him to order the retreat. Ninja immediately came flying over the walls or walking through the gate with bodies of wounded or dead friends on their backs. It was time to end this pain.

"Hiashi…"

"Yes?"

"I am not going to survive this attack."

"What?"

"I am going to seal away this demon… using the forbidden jutsu. It will kill me and place the Kyuubi's soul and chakra in a host body. I don't know… if the host will survive it… but if he does, promise me you will take care of him!"

"… sir?"

"I am going to place the soul of the Kyuubi into my son. Would you… take him in?"

"Anything for a friend. Besides, we already agreed that my daughter on the way will marry you boy anyway. The betrothal was signed in my blood."

"No one will know except you and your wife… that he is my child."

"Why?"

"It is going to be hard enough for him… growing up with a demon inside of him… part of me thinks that it would be better if no one knew he was my son also. I have enemies both outside the land of fire, and in Konoha. And if he is anything like me, he won't want to be respected for who his parents are... were. He will forge his own destiny. The demon will just be another trial to get past…"

"I will do as you say."

"Thank you."

Gamabunta had dispersed after having a tail cut across his left eye. The toad sannin Jiraiya turned to his student.

"Well, it was fun. You want me to stay in town and make sure your boy is well trained and kept for?" The toad sage had the same smile his student had on. Big and fake.

"No… you can leave. Just promise me that you will return if Konoha is ever in danger."

"Sure… I'll go now. Good luck in the afterlife. I hope to see you there in a long while." Jiraiya's attitude hid his true feelings, and the Fourth knew this. As the older man turned away the Fourth thought he saw tears in his eyes.

"Same here." The Fourth began his hand signs. "Tell the Third he can take over when I am gone, ok?"

"Yeah…" And with that, Jiraiya was gone.

"Sealing Jutsu: Reaper Death Seal!" Hiashi noticed nothing change except for a cold wind, despite the mammoth fire fox in front of him, began to blow. The hairs on the back of his head began to stand on end. He shivered. Something… supernatural… was here…

The Kyuubi took its first step over the wall of Konoha and began to spit fireballs greater then any Uchiha could. Fires erupted throughout the city. The Hokage just stood, underneath the body of the Kyuubi.

"Kyuubi no Kitsune! I will not let you destroy this village!" The Kyuubi looked down towards the small human beneath him before laughing.

"**And what, pray tell, do you think you can do about it, pathetic Hokage?"** Suddenly a chill ran through the Kyuubi as an invisible hand went into his stomach.

"I can seal you away… forever!" The Hokage, who had held his arms out to the Kyuubi, suddenly pulled them away and towards his son. The Kyuubi felt his soul begin to leave his body. He tried to fight it, but even his infinite strength couldn't seem to break free of the death god's hold. He smirked at the human he knew had beaten him. He had guts, for a human. To call the shinigami himself... and have the courage to pay his own life for this...

"**No human has ever been able to hurt me, let alone kill me. I congratulate you. You have my respect."**

"You are not going to die, Kyuubi. You will be sealed into this young boy… my son. I only wish for you to help him in his life. For when he dies, so will you."

"**That is interesting. So only a lifetime more of life for the Kyuubi? Very well, human. As a sign of respect for your strength, your son will have my aid…"** The Kyuubi's body suddenly collapsed to the side, crushing the city walls and part of the city. The Hokage finished his transfer of the Kyuubi's soul and smiled at his child, still weeping but now with a spiral seal on his stomach. Hiashi stood to the side as his friend knelt down next to the child.

"My son… I am so sorry that I will not be there for you. I… I love you and I am sorry for the pain you will feel because of this horrible birthday gift. Please… forgive me…" The Fourth Hokage collapsed to the ground in death in death. Hiashi appeared next to his lifeless body.

_Rest in peace, friend._ Hiashi picked up the boy in his arms and went to inform the Third. As he left the ANBU began to arive.

* * *

Hiashi arrived at his home and immediately went to the medical ward. Laying on a cot in the room made specifically to treat Hyugas was Hiashi's wife. Seven months into pregnancy and she had still gone out to fight the demon. She had barely managed to survive a huge fireball, but had pieces of near molten rock slice through her leg. She was now humming to herself and trying to not think about the news she had received about the Fourth's death. The medication made it easier. Hiashi stopped at the door for a second, admiring his wife. Her near black hair pooled around her shoulders as she rubbed her enlarged stomach. Instead of thinking about her husband's fate, she was thinking of names for her baby girl. _Well… I don't know why, but most all Hyuga main branch females all follow a strict pattern on names. Start with an H, then use a vowel, consonant, vowel pattern until there are six letters total. Hmmm…… Hogora? NO! 'G' is too of a letter strong for my little girl. I can already tell that she will be strong of heart, but delicate and graceful in body. Himabi…Hafira…Hururu…Hinata… wait… Hinata…_ her thoughts were interrupted at the sound of footsteps. She turned to see the father of her daughter walking towards her.

"Hiashi! You're alive! When I heard the Fourth had died I feared the worst!"

"No… I am fine, dear. I was there with him at the end…"

"Oh? What is that bundle you have, there?" Hinati, the wife of Hiashi, pointed to the small bundle of cloth in Hiashi's arms.

"Um… I… the Fourth lost his entire clan in the opening attack yesterday except for his wife… she died today giving birth to his son… Naruto…"

"So is that…"

"The Fourth made me promise to take care of his son…" Hiashi unwrapped the bundle enough for Hinati to see the sleeping face of a child. It was strange, though, because as they watched the baby sleep marks appeared on his cheeks. Marks resembling whiskers. Hinati gasped at it. Hiashi just stared at the weird marks.

"Only you, me, and a few high ranking ninja are going to know the truth about this boy. To everyone else, he is just a street orphan who we decided to make a permanent guest. But in truth he is the Fourth's son and… the container of the Kyuubi no kitsune.

"What? They said that the Fourth killed it!"

"No, that is just what the Third is telling the populace. I have no doubt that eventually the information will leek out that this child actually contains the soul of the demon, but only four people know that he is the Fourth's son, five now."

"So… this little child… holds the most powerful demon in his soul?"

"…Yes."

Hinati reached out to stroke the whisker marks on Naruto's face. She smiled.

"Well, he was going to join the family anyway… I guess sixteen years early won't make a difference. Besides… if we can't trust the Fourth to know what he was doing, who can we trust? I don't have any worries at all about the fox. I can tell without Byakugan that this young man is going to be as strong as his father and mother were combined!" Hinati smiled. "But we will have to raise him separate from Hinata, or they might develop more of a brother/sister love then will suit them when the time comes."

"Yes… wait… Hinata?"

"Yes, that is her name."

"Hmph, it is usually tradition to let the father choose the name."

"Well, if you want your daughter growing up with the wrong name…"

"Huh? So the name I choose will automatically be wrong?"

"Only if it isn't Hinata."

"Why?"

"I can tell…"

"Ok… what should we call the Hokage's son? His name is Naruto, but we can't use the Fourth's real name without drawing suspicion. And it is against Hyuga law to have someone not officially part of the family carry the Hyuga name. I will not have the curse seal placed on his head." Hinati pulled the child out of Hiashi's arms and unwrapped him completely. The seal of the Fourth's jutsu was still there, though it was fading from its original red into a black swirl. _Swirls… hmm… I really like these name games…_

"Uzumaki! He is Naruto Uzumaki."

"Uzumaki..."

"Just look at him! In a few years, this child will be a spiraling whirlpool of energy. I can see it already. He will draw people towards him with that energy and everyone who meets him will be changed for the better." Hiashi sighed. His wife must have really been under a lot of medication. His name belonged to him in more ways than his wife comprehended under the pain relievers.

"How do you know that?"

"Just a guess."

"Hinati, you are one crazy woman. But that's why I love you so much."

"Oh, you flatter me so!"

"So… Hinata and Naruto."

"Yes." Hinati had already put Naruto into her arms and was rocking the child. Hiashi took time to notice her bandaged leg.

"What did the doctor say?"

"He said that it will probably never recover fully because the heat warped the bones and tendons. He said I will probably have a limp for the rest of my life and should give up being a ninja..."

"It'll be ok, Hinati. You told me you would stop being a ninja when our child…"

"Hinata."

"When Hinata was born anyway."

"Yes, but I wish I hadn't damaged it. Now I won't be able to play as much with the children…"

"Dear, they will love you anyway."

"Thank you, Hiashi."

"Now, I must go and speak to the counsel in order to straighten out the fools. They saw me bring in the child and somehow they already knew it contained the demon. I need to make sure no one tries to hurt him."

"Give them a juken to the head for me, dear."

"Will do."

* * *

"Hiashi, we do not appreciate your… volunteering… our clan to take in this… demon!"

"Yes, we do not want the container here now… or ever!"

"Honorable counsel members, do not forget who is the clan head here!" Hiashi fixed them with his glare that easily silenced them all. Apparently the rumors had already begun to spread. _It was probably Danzo. May that man die a thousand painful deaths for all the trouble he causes. _"I brought the child into this clan as a guest and he WILL be treated like one, is that clear?" All he could here was vague mumbling. "IS IT CLEAR?"

"Hai, Hiashi-sama."

"Good. The child was used by the Fourth to bind the soul of the Kyuubi so that it could no longer attack the village. This child, I have been assured by both the Fourth and the Third, is not now and will never be the Kyuubi. Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong and if they attempt to hurt him shall be punished in a most severe manner." The counsel shuddered at this. The last time someone had been punished severely by the head of the clan it was when a main branch member had raped a cadet branch member. Hiashi had personally castrated the man with a kunai and no painkillers. He was then branded with the curse seal of the branch family and barely survived. He scrubs the floors of the latrines daily and will continue to do so until the day he dies. "At least in this house he shall be honored as one of the saviors of this village. His name is Uzumaki Naruto and he shall be respected in the same way you would respect my own son. IS THAT CLEAR?"

"Hai, Hiashi-sama."

"For all of you who were worried about my wife's health…" and Hiashi knew that they were few. "… she is doing much better. The attack left permanent damage in the leg and she will no longer be able to be a ninja, but we are fine with this. My child is fine, also."

"I have one question, Hiashi-sama." One of the eldest of the elders adressed Hiashi.

"Yes."

"The child containing the demon… why do you call him a hero?"

"The Fourth told me about the jutsu he used today a while ago. He told me that one sacrifices his own soul to call the death god to tear the soul out of another and drag it into the afterlife. He also told me that the death god would not be able to drag the soul of a demon into the afterlife, only tear it from its body. He had been working on a way around it, as if he knew the city would be attacked. So, in his final moment, he tore the soul of the Kyuubi from its own body and placed it inside the child. If this child had been over a week old, the Kyuubi would have destroyed his chakra coils and been free once more. If the container had been anything but human, it would have also broken free. The fact that this child existed is the only thing that saved our city from certain death. So he is a hero."

"… I see. Thank you, Hiashi-sama."

* * *

AN: This ends the prologue. The rest of my chapters will be longer. Like it? Just wait until I get going.


	2. Ideology of a Child

AN: Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. No, I was not aware that Naruto's parents names were announced in the manga. I don't read Japanese and here in America we only are up to the fight with Tsunade/Oroch/Naruto/Kabuto… you know the one. So, yes. If I find a need to say their names I will use the correct ones, unlike my last fanfic. But it still turned out ok… right? Right?... hello……

* * *

Chapter 1: Ideology of a Child

* * *

"Hinata, lets play tag! You're it!"

"Ok!"

A small indigo haired girl held her hand next to her face as she ran behind a blonde child her age, like if she removed it and people saw her face they wouldn't like her anymore. The most shy child of the Hyuga clan, Hinata, was playing tag. She was chasing a young boy with bright yellow hair who evaded her for a minute before "allowing" Hinata to tag him. Really, she just surprised him.

"Naruto, you're it."

"Ah… I'm tired…" Naruto lay back on the grass outside the Hyuga complex. They had been playing for hours as their parents prepared for the next day. Hinata's third birthday. Hinata laid out next to him and they watched the clouds pass over. Naruto's birthday had not been a big event. Really, no one except Hinata and her parents had celebrated at all. Hiashi-sama had given him a kunai set and promised to teach him how to throw them. Hinati… okaa-san as she told him to call her or else she would take his kunai away… had given him a new set of clothes. Naruto smiled at the memory. It was orange. Hiashi-sama said it hurt his eyes. Hinata had complemented him and giggled. Naruto had run around the entire complex, showing every person in it his wonderful new orange ninja suit. He had been practicing with his kunai for two months now and could hit the middle of the target… most of the time. Hiashi would often show up and give him pointers. Naruto was sure that he would grow up to be a great ninja like Hiashi-sama.

"Ano… Naruto?"

"Yeah, Hinata?"

"I heard that some man was coming to town tomorrow from another land."

"Oh yeah! I heard that too! It's too bad we can't go see him. I bet he is a great shinobi!"

"Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to be a shinobi?"

"Hai. I want to be a great ninja more then anything… I want to take the old man's job when I get older."

"You want to be the Hokage?"

"Is that what he is? All I was told was that he is the best ninja in the village. I am going to be the best someday, just you wait."

"Um… Ok! I know you will be! I'll be a shinobi too and help!"

"Thanks, Hinata." Naruto gave a huge smile to Hinata, his best friend since he could remember, and she smiled back. They often talked about what they wanted to do when they were older. Naruto seemed to change what he wanted to be by the day. But this was the first time he had ever done anything about his wishes. He was getting good with his kunai, even after having them for only a few months.

The Hyuga clan believed in training a child as soon as they could focus even the slightest ounce of chakra, and with the Byakugan they were perfectly capable of seeing exactly when that was. As it turned out, most children had at least some grasp of chakra by their third birthday. It became tradition over the years to begin training in clan techniques, or in Naruto's case with weapons, when they turned three.

"Hinata-sama?" Both kids looked over from their spot on the ground to look at the kid at the door. He wasn't much older then they were, just a little taller with brown hair that was longer then Hinata's. Naruto giggled, the boy looked shocked.

"What? Naruto, are you still laughing at my hair?" Naruto was on his back in fits of laughter. Every time Neji saw Naruto, Naruto would start to laugh because Neji's hair was longer than Hinata's. He couldn't help it. Hiashi-sama's was longer, but Neji was only about 5 and his kimono was almost identical to a girl's.

"Gomen… Neji-onii-san…" Neji wasn't her actual brother, but her cousin. Still, he was as overprotective as any brother could be. Naruto stopped laughing and motioned for Neji to join them under the sky.

"Hinata-sama, your mother wants to see you. I wish I could stay and watchthe clouds, but I still have chores to do." Neji walked away and Hinata rose up from the grass. Neji always seemed to have chores. Naruto didn't know why, he only had a few chores to do every day compared to Neji.

"Naruto…"

"I'll wait here and practice throwing kunai." Naruto twirled his kunai on his finger. Hinata watched with amazement as he made it balance on one finger before he threw it into a bamboo shoot that was on the other side of the small courtyard. It bisected it neatly. It was a simple trick that most genin could do, but Naruto was very proud of his skill.

"Wow… Naruto you really are going to be the best ninja ever!" With that, Hinata left to find her mother. Naruto blushed at her comment before he went to grab his kunai out of the bamboo plant. It was stuck. He pulled and pulled until he was standing on the bamboo and using both hands and feet. He finally freed it and stepped off of the bamboo, only to have it snap up and hit his chin, sending him flying into a wall. He got up a moment later rubbing his injured jaw.

"…yeah… greatest ninja ever."

* * *

"Hinata! Have a seat." Hinata ran up to her mother, who was sitting in a circle with many other Hyuga women. She gave her a big hug before sitting next to her. She leaned her head against the warm, inviting side of her mother, glad that it partially hid her from the other ladies around her. Hinata was not known for being very outgoing with anyone other than her family.

"Hinata…" A woman sitting across from her mother spoke to her. Hinata barely recognized her. "Are you excited for your birthday?"

"Hai." Hinata blushed and hid slightly behind her mother.

"Well, I would hope so. Tomorrow isn't just her birthday, but the day she gets announced clan heir."

"And it is the day we get to announce to you who your betrothed is."

"Betrothed?" Hinata still hid her face almost completely behind her mother, but the word was new to her so she poked it a little farther out. Her mother bent down into her vision.

"Betrothing is when a boy and a girl get promised to marry each other. Before you were born there was a boy already picked out for you by your father and I."

"M…marry, like you and otou-san?"

"Hai."

"I… don't want to get married…" Hinata didn't want much at all, but her okaa-san and otou-san never had time to play almost at all and playing was one of the few things Hinata wanted to do. Marriage seemed to imply less play time in her young mind, and that meant that she did not want to get married.

"No no no. You won't get married for a long time. You just get to find out who it is tomorrow." The old women sitting across from Hinata were giggling like school girls. Hinata giggled a little too. Just to relieve herself of the tension. At least she would be able to play for a while more.

"Hinata, who do you want it to be?" Hinata wasn't ready for that question. She didn't have any idea who she wanted to be… betrothed to.

"Um… I don't know… gomen…"

"Don't ask her who! Then she will start thinking about it and might be disappointed by who it really is!"

"Oh, don't worry. She will have a full thirteen years to get used to the idea. Her betrothed will only have about one."

"Nani?" Hinata was confused by the conversation.

"Oh, you see. The Hyuga's have a tradition. The woman gets to find out who she is betrothed to at a young age and then gets a chance to win her betrothed's love on her own, without the law. You aren't allowed, under clan law, to tell anything to the one you are betrothed to until you turn 15. If she succeeds in winning his love then they are bound for a happy and long marriage, like your parents!"

"If she doesn't get it… well, they still get married…"

"But it won't be as happy as it could have been."

"It is a Hyuga woman's highest duty to get her betrothed to fall in love with her!"

"Right! It is tradition!" Hinata stared at the overjoyed and very… enthusiastic… women shouting random babble about how they fell in love with their husbands. Hinata mother wrapped her arm around her daughter's should and whispered in her ear.

"Don't worry, Hinata. You don't have anything to worry about."

"Arigato, okaa-san. May I go back and watch the clouds with Naruto?" Hinata's mother gave a small look as if she was about to laugh, but contained it to a small smile.

"Sure, we will just finish up here."

* * *

Naruto was still practicing with his kunai. He was trying something new. First, he would throw one up in the air and hit it with another, then throw another into the one that just hit the last one, then catch the first kunai and throw it to hit the third and so on. It was astounding and funny to watch. On one hand, here was a three year old kid playing with very sharp ninja tools and making them do things most chunin couldn't. On the other hand, it was a three year old running around the field with his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth, desperately trying to catch the last kunai without slicing his hand open. Many branch members would just stare at the boy while doing their chores. Hinati was completely unaware of Naruto's trick or he would likely have been punished for doing something so reckless. Naruto was completely unaware that anyone was watching him. Hiashi was actually in his office using his Byakugan to stare in wonder at the feat Naruto had never learned from him. _This kid could be everything his father was and more!_ Hinata ran into the court to see Naruto doing his juggling trick and gasped.

"Naruto… that's amazing!"

"What?" Naruto glanced over at the amazed girl and smiled… not realizing that he was supposed to be catching the next kunai. The one that landed in his hand a moment later. Literally, _in_ his hand. Through the palm and out the back. Naruto just looked at it for a little bit, wondering why he wasn't screaming in pain. He saw Hinata go from a look of wonder to a look of horror and her already pale face became completely white as she passed out. Hiashi, though, had seen that the kunai was going to hit and before his daughter hit the ground he had caught her. Naruto stared at the father figure in awe. It had looked like he had just appeared where he was. Naruto, with his arm still in midair, smiled at Hiashi.

"Wow! Hiashi-sama, that was amazing! Can you teach me how to be that fast? Is Hinata ok?"

"Hinata will be fine, I am wondering about you, though."

"Oh." Naruto looked at his hand again. Blood was running down the tip of the blade sticking out the back of his hand. "I don't know. Should it hurt?"

"Hai."

"Then, no, I don't think I am ok. I feel fine." Naruto pulled the kunai out of his hand and watched in fascination as his hand knit itself back together in less then a minute. Hiashi looked in amazement at it also, noticing the slight red glow that accompanied the healing. _Is that… the fox?_ Naruto was jumping up and down with his own bloody kunai in his other hand before running to grab the other two that had fallen.

"Hiashi-sama, are you sure Hinata is ok? She looked kinda… pale."

"Yes, she will be fine. Naruto… I think she was more… oh, never mind."

"Um… ok! Will you teach me how to be fast now! That was super cool how you were, like, not there and then, POOF, you were there! You just appeared! That…"

"Naruto."

"Hai, Hiashi-sama."

"I will teach you a way to get faster, if you want. It will be the other part of your birthday present now that you have done so well with your kunai."

"Really? Arigato!" Naruto ran up and hugged his adopted father. Hiashi smiled. He needed a break from the preparations for the celebration anyway.

* * *

"Naruto, did you know that you are betrothed."

"Does that mean I am going to be an awesome, super-cool ninja like you when I grow up? Then yeah!"

"No, Naruto. It means that you are already promised to be married to a person."

"NANI?"

Hiashi and Naruto were walking down one of the many roads of Konoha. This one was lined with shops and various stalls selling who-knows-what to whoever was interested. Naruto was almost skipping as he walked beside Hiashi. Luckily he only recieved a few glares from the people around, which Hiashi responded to with his own glare. Naruto didn't seem to notice any of them, but continued on his merry way. It wasn't everyday he got to leave the clan complex. Hiashi sighed more from the simplicity of the people around him than at Naruto's outburst. How they forgot the words of the Fourth so easily, he would never understand.

"Yes, there is already a person out there that you are destined to marry."

"Like you and okaa-san?"

"Hai."

"Wow… who is it?"

"Well, I can tell you whenever I feel like, now that you are three…"

"Well?"

"First, you must know the rules. The Hyuga's have a tradition. The man gets to find out who his betrothed is at a young age, while the woman doesn't get to know until later, and then gets a chance to win his betrothed's love on his own, without the law. You aren't allowed, under clan law, to tell anyone you are betrothed until you turn 15. If he succeeds in winning her love then they are bound for a happy and long marriage."

"What if…"

"You still get married."

"Oh…"

"So, do you want to know?"

"…Hai."

"Ok, you are betrothed to… Neji!"

"NANI!" Naruto tripped and fell flat on his face. Hiashi laughed a rare laugh.

"I am just kidding, Naruto. You are betrothed to Hinata."

"Oh…" Naruto jumped back to his feet with a smile. "Well… ok! Hinata is better then Neji any day of the week! Even if his hair is longer…"

"Alright Naruto, we are here. No more talking about… you know what." Hiashi stopped walking in front of a small shop with a kunai piercing a shurikin for a sign. It said one word, "Weapons". Naruto walked in behind Hiashi and his mouth dropped. He had never seen so many sharp and pointy things in his short life. He thought kunai were the epitome of all sharp objects ninjas use, but he saw so many things that ranged in size from smaller than his pinky finger to larger then his whole body. A man with dark brown hair was cleaning a giant shurikin with oil and cloth, making Naruto watch the shine. He looked up and saw Hiashi and Naruto. He glanced at Naruto a second longer then Naruto thought was necessary, but he smiled at the boy a second later.

"Hiashi-sama! What can I do for you?"

"I need a set of chakra weights."

"Really? I hardly think that you need them… are they for the kid there?" Hiashi gave a small glare to the man that Naruto didn't catch.

"Relax, Hiashi. I knew the Fourth, made his special kunai here. I trust him." Hiashi visibly relaxed. Naruto had no idea what was going on.

"Yes, they are for him."

"Getting him started early, eh?"

"Hai."

"Well, I have a starter set right here… but I might have something a little better in the back."

"Better?"

"Yeah, where the normal weights can take either real weights or chakra, these new ones I just got can change their weight automatically. As soon as he gets used to a weight, they automatically raise the weight. He won't even know how much he is wearing."

"I'll take them."

"Great! I'll just put it on your bill." The man with dark brown hair walked to the back and pulled out a box. He handed it to Hiashi.

"Thanks. How is your daughter?"

"Just fine. She just learned how to use her third type of weapon."

"Hey, sir! I can throw kunai!"

"Really? Hiashi gave you a set?"

"Yeah! And I am pretty good, too. Hinata said so."

"Really? How accurate are you?"

"Accur…acru…what?" Hiashi sighed.

"He juggles them…"

"Really?" The man looked impressed.

"By throwing one at another and catching them one it hits in midair." Then his jaw dropped.

"WHAT? At his age?"

"Yeah, except for one time Hinata distracted me and it went through my hand!"

"WHAT? Hiashi?"

"Yeah, and Hinata passed out and I bled a little."

"Hiashi… what are you teaching this kid?"

"He taught himself everything, except for proper throwing technique. I taught that."

"Wow…" The man took a seat on a stool and slumped over in thought.

"Yeah, and one day I am going to be… wait… what did Hinata call him… oh, yeah… I am going to be Hokage one day, just you wait." The two men just stared at the grinning three year old, one in amazement at the fact he could juggle kunai like that, the other in amazement that the kid already knew what he wanted to be. _Just like his old man._

"Hiashi-sama, can we get back so I can try these weights on?"

"Hai." They walked out leaving the owner of the shop with his jaw on the floor.

* * *

"Alright, Naruto. Now, you will first move slower then normal, to all of our benefits, then as you eventually get used to the weight it will increase. I will start you off at 5 pounds per limb."

"Wow, thanks Hiashi-sama!"

"Now go play with Hinata, and no more hitting yourself with kunai."

"Hai!" Naruto ran to the door of the room with his new weights on, just slightly slower then his regular self. Hinata was waiting for him in the courtyard. Hinati walked up behind her husband and embraced him.

"I guess you told him…"

"Hai."

"You know, Hyuga traditions are funny."

"Yeah, but it always turns out better when they both try to win the other's affections without knowing that the other actually knows…"

"I know. It worked for us, at least."

* * *

The next day came and Naruto had woken up Hinata at three in the morning and he dragged her behind him as he woke every person in the Hyuga clan to tell them it was her birthday. Besides that minor incident that ended with a very sleepy Hinata collapsing into her mother's arms and a very energetic Naruto doing exercises until six in the morning, the day began like any other. Hinati, Hiashi, Naruto, and Hinata all sat at a small table and ate breakfast. Because it was Hinata's special day, she got to choose what to eat for breakfast. Naruto jumped up and shouted.

"RAMEN!"

"Naruto, this isn't your choice! It is Hinata's decision." Naruto sat down with a pout on his face. On his birthday they had eaten ramen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hiashi remembered that day in agony.

"Um… ramen." Hinati sighed at her daughter while Naruto jumped up with a cry of victory.

After the… interesting breakfast, Hinata was taken to the clan counsel chambers. She held her father's hand as she walked in to meet the elders. Naruto decided he was bored, so he went off to practice with his kunai. Hinati waited at the door.

"Lady Hinata, welcome to the counsel chambers. Hiashi-sama, I hope we can get our business done quickly so we can begin the party."

"That is my wish as well." Hiashi led Hinata into the middle of the circular chamber and then went to stand behind her.

"Lady Hinata, today is your third birthday. Congratulations."

"Arigato…"

"Lady Hinata, we have brought you here to test you to see if you are capable of being a suitable heir to this clan's position of leadership at the time you turn 16."

"This is really just a formality that came about after having one heir born without the Byakugan. Please, Lady Hinata, open your eyes wide." Hinata did as she was told and opened her pearl-like eyes as wide as she could. One of the counsel members in front of her did something she had only seen done a few times by her father. The veins around his eyes bulged outwards and his eyes became kind of scary. Only a few seconds later he smiled and the veins around his eyes receded.

"Very good. It appears that we have a suitable heir. Does the counsel agree?"

"Hai."

"Unanimously?"

"Hai."

"Very good. This counsel decision cannot be revoked. Hinata Hyuga, you are herby declared clan heiress and will be considered as such until a reevaluation to be done on your 16th birthday. Until that time, under no circumstances can your title be revoked."

"Congratulations, Lady Hinata."

"Arigato!" Hinata felt her hand enveloped in her fathers and gave a cute little wave to the counsel members, one of which waved back. They didn't all have sticks up their respectable asses. Hinati stood at the door as it opened.

"Well?" Hiashi smiled at his wife and her worry.

"Hai."

"Oh, Hinata! That's great!"

"Um… ok."

"Now, come with me so we can dress you up for the party."

"Hai!" Hinata loved letting her mother and aides dress her up in the fancy kimonos that her mother always got to wear. She skipped behind her mother as her father watched with pride. _She will be a kind leader._ Walked away to see what new amazing feet the previous Hokage's son was doing.

* * *

"Lady Hinata, are you excited? I know I was excited for today."

"Yeah, it isn't every day that you turn three, you know?"

"Have you found out who you are betrothed to, yet?"

"Oh, I remember that day. It turned out to be this one boy I never even got to meet until a year before the wedding."

"Stop that, you will give the poor girl nightmares!"

"What? I love my husband!"

Hinata was trying not to giggle at the two women that had been in charge of bathing, dressing, and everything else Hinata could think of. They hadn't stopped talking throughout the entire time. Hinata wouldn't have been able to say anything even if she had wanted to. Just as they had finished her hair, Hinati walked in. The maids adressed their mistress as soon as she was seen.

"Oh, Lady Hinati! I can't seem to get one word out of Hinata today."

"Well, if you gave her time to talk…" The other maid lightly tapped the other on the arm.

"I don't talk that much!" Hinati sighed at the two and then directed her attention to her daughter.

"Hinata, are you ready to know who your betrothed is?"

"HAI!" Hinata didn't say anything as the two aides shouted at her okaa-san. She giggled as the two older women blushed in embarasment.

"Hai…"

"It just so happens that you are betrothed to a certain young boy a little older then you. He has blond hair and blue eyes…"

"Naruto?"

"Hai." Hinata still had no idea what to say. What this meant later on was nothing to her now, but she felt a little happiness at knowing who her betrothed was, unlike the aide…

"You mean…" One of the maids looked scared of something, Hinata had no idea what. The maid was instantly in Hinati's cold gaze.

"Hai, don't bring up."

"Hai, Lady Hinati."

* * *

Hinata was led out of the room by her mother and was brought into the main hall of the Hyuga complex. There was an enormous amount of people there, from every clan in Konoha… and a few people from cloud. As Hinata entered there was a small amount of applause, followed by everyone going back to talking. Really the party was an excuse for the most powerful clans in Konoha to get together. Hinata found Naruto in the back next to a boy their age with sunglasses. Naruto was talking to him and going on and on about how he was going to be a great ninja when he grew older. The boy, Shino, was from a prestigious clan near the Hyugas. He didn't say almost anything, just nodded at Naruto and Hinata as they talked. They tried to involve him multiple times, but when asked his favorite color he would just stare at them and then answer with one monotone word. "Black…" All his answers were similar. Naruto didn't care, Shino was as close to a friend as he had besides Neji and Hinata, even though they had only met minutes ago.

"Ah, Hiashi-sama, this is the emissary from Cloud that arrived today. He signed the treaty we penned up on the spot, didn't even argue!"

"Really, then why are you still here?"

"Just… sight seeing."

"Really?" Hiashi felt that this man was evil. He knew it by just looking at him. He managed to hold in a shiver when the cloud ninja looked over at his daughter. Naruto noticed the cloud ninja and started laughing and rolling on the ground.

"Hey, mister! Y… your clothes! They're funny!"

"What are you talking about, kid?" The cloud ninja was willing to humor the brat, at least for one night.

"Little… ducks… with… Hearts… hahahaha…!!"

"What?" The cloud emissary tried to look around at his back and then he saw his reflection in a mirror on the wall. He had not wrapped the kimono around his body correctly and his boxers were showing. With little ducks and hearts. Hiashi snickered at the man as he walked out of room with most of the occupants at least giggling.

* * *

The party had been a success to everyone's expectations. Naruto had made a new friend, Hinata had turned three, Hiashi and his wife had seen the cloud emissary in all his glory and life was going well. After putting the children to sleep the leaders of the clan went to sleep as well. No one had any idea that the peace would be broken and life changed that night. After midnight a deep fog covered the Hyuga complex. Most of the guards who weren't already asleep became that way after suffering from the strange genjutsu. A shadow slinked over the walls, making no sound as he found the exact room he wanted. He attempted to open the window, but it was locked so he just broke it, trusting his genjutsu to keep everyone asleep. Not knowing that a young boy aspiring to be a ninja couldn't be affected by his weak genjutsu. The same blond haired boy that had pointed out his wardrobe malfunction and happened to sleep in the room next to Hinata's.

Naruto woke up with a start. He could have swore that he had heard glass breaking. He wasn't scared… not at all…kinda, but he knew Hinata would be so he went over to her room. _After all, I am bat-rothed or something to her…_ He opened the door to see what he did not expect. A shadow stood in Hinata's broken window with a bound and gagged Hinata over his shoulder.

"Hey, let go of Hinata!" Naruto was glad that he slept with his kunai, or he would have been unprepared. The shadow turned to look at him in surprise before leaping out of the window. "Oh, no you don't!" Naruto jumped after him. The shadow was running for a wall, one Naruto had been practicing climbing earlier. The ninja jumped it in one go while Naruto jumped at grabbed for a rock he knew would be there and then pulled himself over it. The shadow was disappearing into the woods, but Naruto ran his fastest to catch up. The kicking and squirming Hinata made it easier to catch up.

"Stop! Where do you think you are taking Hinata?" Naruto threw his kunai at the man's leg, managing to cut into his heel. The man tripped and dropped Hinata, who hit her head and passed out. Naruto charged the ninja with a kunai in his hand.

"Little asshole… who do you think you ARE!" Naruto was backhanded before he got within arms reach of the man and sent flying into a tree. He barely held onto consciousness.

* * *

"Did you hear that, Hiashi?"

"…Huh?"

"It sounded like Naruto…"

"M… tired…"

"I am going to go see what the matter is…" Hiashi rolled over and tried to get back to sleep, except in less then a minute his wife came racing back into the room with tears in her eyes. "HIASHI, THEY'RE GONE!"

* * *

"What? Did you actually think you could beat me? I am a jonin, kid. You know what that means? It means that I am over twenty years older then you and an elite ninja."

"So? I am going to be an elite ninja some day…"

"Heh… not anymore kid." The ninja threw a shurikin that would have hit Naruto in the eye if he hadn't instinctively blocked it. "Huh? How did you do that?" The ninja then threw a handful of shurikin at Naruto.

_**Block the vitals!**_ Naruto didn't know what happened, but in a second four shurikin were in the ground and two were in his legs. It hurt. Naruto's arm seemed to move on its own as he threw two sets of two kunai at the ninja. One from each was aimed at the ninja's gut while the other one from each set was aimed in a high arc over his head. The second wave was much faster then the first. The two aimed at the gut of the ninja were blocked, but he had just given the ones thrown up as a mistake. He was surprised when a kunai that had been stopped in midair by the second kunai landed and stuck in his right shoulder. He pulled the kunai out of the flak jacket with a small bit of blood on the tip.

"I… can't believe this kid even managed to draw blood… bastard!" He threw the kunai at Naruto and Naruto managed once again to block in, though it stuck into his foot with his inaccurate block. The ninja pulled out twelve kunai, six in each hand, and threw them at Naruto. This time he managed to block half… but he ended up with both hands pinned to the tree behind him and two more in his upper arms. The last two had hit on his right shoulder and chest. He knew that those were not places he wanted to be hit.

"You know? You actually wounded a jonin… I think you deserve a reward. You stalled me for so long that I probably can't escape with your little friend anymore, but as a gift to you and to her I will only take her eyes and have you watch me remove them."  
The Ninja pulled a small contraption from his pouch and walked over to the unconscious Hinata. Naruto managed to watch him pry open her eyelids before he passed out from blood loss and horror at the sharp blades the ninja was intent on pressing into Hinata's eye.

* * *

Hinati managed to reach the source of chakra before the rest of the search party even with her severe limp. Though she immediately regretted it. Her daughter was laying in the middle of a small clearing with blood covering her face and upper body. She leaned against a tree but noticed that there was a metal object in her way. She turned to see the horror that was Naruto. Pinned to the tree with six kunai and two shurikin. The rest of the search party had no trouble finding the spot by the screams of anguish coming from the mother of two children.

* * *

"Hiashi…"

"Yes!"

"They are both in stable condition…"

"Thank kami!"

"But…"

"Her eyes…"

"Not destroyed… just gone…"

"…"

"Hiashi?"

"Bastard…"

* * *

Naruto woke up in a bright white room. He sat up and looked around. His mother was sitting next to his bed, but facing another bed on the other side.

"O…okaa-san?"

"Oh! Naruto! I am so glad you are ok!" Hinati's smile was and Naruto noticed the tears in her eyes.

"O…okaa-san, is Hinata ok?"

"…"

"What's wrong?"

"Naruto… Hinata… can't see…"

"Well duh! No one could see with those bandages on their face."

"No… Naruto… I mean Hinata… won't be able to see… ever…"

"Nani…"


	3. All Those Hopes and Dreams

AN: It was… very hard to write the last chapter. This one is going to include many flashbacks to help explain what has followed. If you are wondering why I did… that… then you should think about it really hard... and then come back when I have an answer.

AN2: Working working working...

Chapter 2: All Those Hopes and Dreams…

* * *

"NARUTO! Get down here!"

"Oh crap! It's Iruka-sensei! I haven't even done anything yet!"

Naruto Uzumaki, now twelve years old, hung by a series of ropes in front of the Hokage monument along with a few buckets of black paint. He actually hadn't started painting yet, but somehow Iruka was standing down on the observation platform. Naruto sighed. He never got to do anything fun… except train. Naruto cut a rope and swung down on the other, landing right on the rail two inches from Iruka's face. It was then that he saw who was holding Iruka's hand.

"Hey Hinata!"

"H…hi… Naruto…" Hinata blushed and faced the ground as she twiddled her thumbs. Naruto frowned. Hinata never used to do this. He tried to think back to when she had started stuttering and blushing.

* * *

"_Hiashi-sama, your daughter is in perfect health!"_

"_That is great!"_

"_But… Hinati-sama is…"_

"_What?"_

"_She… there were some complications… and… well…"_

"_What are you saying…"_

"_Hiashi-sama, your wife is dieing."_

"_What?"_

"_She is hemorrhaging in a way that we can't stop. She has an hour by our estimates… maybe less..."_

"_DAMN IT!"_

* * *

_Naruto and Hinata stood at the bedside of their okaa-san, trying very hard not to cry. Hiashi had told them she would be leaving… and not coming back…_

"_Okaa-san, you can't leave!"_

"_Naruto… it's ok…"_

"_No! I don't want you to leave!"_

"_Hinata… take care of your little sister…"_

"_O…okaa-san… I… you… promised… that you would always be here for me until I can see…"_

"_But… I will always be here for you." Hinati put her hand over her daughter's heart. "And Naruto will be here for you…"_

"_Yeah…" Naruto was choking on his tears, but managed to put a happy smile on his face, not that Hinata would notice. "Remember, I promised to help you see again. That's a lifetime promise! I'll help from out here and okaa-san will help from in there!"_

"_But…"_

"_Hinata… I need you to be strong. You will be a great clan leader…"_

"_But otou-san told me that the counsel said if I didn't get eyes by the time I was sixteen then…"_

"_But you will… I know you will… Naruto will help…"_

"_Yeah! But... Okaa-san, I don't want you to go..."_

"_I need to go, Naruto."_

"_No, you don't! You need to stay!"_

"_I am sorry, both of you… I wish I could stay longer…"_

"_Okaa-san…"_

"_Yes…"_

"_When you… leave… no one will hold me like you…"_

"_Hinata… you are a strong girl… just have faith in yourself… and you will get through… look to Naruto for inspiration." Naruto gave a halfhearted smile at that._

"_Okaa-san... I am going to grow up to be a great ninja and make sure that no one I love ever has to leave me again, ok?"_

"_A…and I am g…going to grow up to be a great ninja as well… so one day… I c…can save other's okaa-sans…"_

_Hinati smiled at her children. "I love you both, and your little sister and your otou-san. Remember that…"_

"_Okaa-san?"_

"_O…okaa-san?"_

"_Okaa-san!"_

"_Otou-san, o…okaa-san… she isn't…"_

"_She went to go live with Naruto's parents…"_

"_I hope they become friends…" Naruto managed to hold back the sobs that threatened to rack his body. Hinata was not so strong of heart. She buried her head and arms into her okaa-san crying her mother's name. Naruto gave her a hug, the only thing he knew how to do._

* * *

_That was when she started stuttering. I can't put my finger on when she started blushing…_ Naruto suddenly realized that he was being yelled at by Iruka-sensei.

"… irresponsible and unreliable! How do you intend to ever become a ninja if you leave a blind girl all alone?"

"Ano… I… I was f…fine… sensei…"

"No, you weren't. You were just standing here when I walked past and looked like you were about to cry…"

"Alright! Gomen, Hinata. We need to get to class or we will be late. Can't be late if we want to be great ninja, right Iruka-sensei?"

"Hmph."

"See ya in class!" Naruto ran off, half dragging his blind friend behind him. Iruka sighed. That boy would be the death of him… and maybe Hinata.

Naruto and Hinata arrived at the ninja academy ready to begin their day. Naruto sat next to Hinata in the back of class and took out a notebook. He and Hinata had failed the genin test three times and tomorrow was going to be the big day… again. This time Naruto knew he could pass. He had been… distracted the last three times. But tomorrow, he knew he could pass. All Naruto needed to do now was to help Hinata pass at the same time. _But, practicing as much as we can, she still can't get a regular old clone or henge to work. It sometimes comes close to her bodies shape, but it always looks like a black and white picture of her. She can't get the colors right… because she hasn't seen them since she was three. And the henge as well... _But today that would change. Naruto had spent the past four years of his life working and studying about how to create his own jutsu. He had made a promise nine years ago that he intended to keep.

* * *

"_Naruto… her eyes were taken away… we don't even know by whom…"_

"_Nani!" Naruto jumped out of bed, surprising his okaa-san who had been told he wouldn't be able to move for days. Naruto ran to Hinata's side. _

"_Does that mean she can't see anything anymore?"_

"…_Yes."_

"_That's not fair!"_

"_No… it isn't."_

"_I promise, I am going to help her see again."_

"_Naruto?"_

"_Ninjas can do anything. When I become a ninja I am going to give her eyes! That's a promise!"_

"…_I know you will try your hardest… but…"_

"_What?"_

"_Ninjas can't do… everything…"_

"_Okaa-san, I don't care."_

"_Huh?"_

"_I made a promise! I will find a way for Hinata to see again! Nothing can stop me! It is my goal now! I will become a great ninja and help her become one too, because that's what she said she wanted to be!" Hinati smiled._

* * *

He had scribbles in his book that had many meanings only to him. Without knowing, he had created a jutsu that would change the way ninja operate forever. But, even though he didn't realize the importance of his own jutsu, he knew that it might work. He would test it after school today. Hinata sat next to him, but couldn't see anything. That made Naruto happy, knowing she couldn't see his attempts to help her. She didn't know that it had been his work on this jutsu that had caused him to fail three times in a row. He would work desperately the night before to try to get it to work, and then be chakra deprived the next day. Hinata had failed because she couldn't see and therefore couldn't use a proper bunshin or a henge. She was smart, smarter then Naruto, but couldn't understand color anymore after nine years of black. This jutsu would change that… he hoped. If it still didn't work he would just wait another year. Hinata needed him… and though he didn't want to admit it, she was his only friend besides the silent Shino who always sat next to him. He was a friend, even though he hardly ever spoke except to wake Naruto up in class. And... Naruto thought that the Hyuga counsel was getting fed up with the heir failing and might just pull her out if she didn't pass this time.

Class went by very very slowly in Naruto's mind. It was just a review of a simple henge, one he had mastered ages ago. He had used to pull tricks with his henge, but had stopped when he realized Hinata felt left out of the excitement. She hadn't actually told him, but while everyone else laughed, she sat in the back with a sad smile on her half covered face. She wore a headband-like cloth around her empty eye sockets, so that no one freaked out like Sakura and Ino had on the first day of ninja academy. Their screaming had made them permanent residents of a group Naruto didn't like. The ones who based opinions on looks. They didn't like him and he didn't like them. Now Hinata was careful to always keep her face above the eyes covered.

Class ended with Naruto getting punished for falling asleep. He had to stay after and clean the class room. Hinata offered to help, but after tripping over a desk Naruto told her to stay put. He had it cleaned in a minute and then Iruka took them to the ramen stand. It was almost tradition. Once a week Naruto would get in trouble and clean the classroom. Once a week he and Hinata got to eat ramen at Ichirakus.

"Well, Naruto, are you ready for the exam tomorrow?"

"You bet! Me and Hinata are going to pass with flying colors!" Naruto slurped ramen as they both looked at him, or in Hinata's case turned to face him.

"N…Naruto-kun… I… don't… I… d…don't think I c…can pass…"

"Wait a sec! I haven't tried it yet! Here, Iruka-sensei. You want to see what I have been working on for the last four years?"

"Sure, what is it Naruto." Iruka was expecting to see Naruto henge into a monster or something childish like he usually would do. He wasn't expecting Naruto to place one hand on Hinata's head and begin seals. Hinata only felt his hand on her head and blushed completely red.

"N…N…Naruto-kun?"

"Mind Combination Jutsu." Naruto closed his eyes and said the jutsus name. Iruka stared at him as he slowly opened his eyes. Hinata gasped. Naruto removed his hand from her head.

"Hinata… can you…"

"Naruto-kun! I… I… can see!"

"YES!" Iruka stared at the pair. Hinata was facing Naruto. Naruto turned to look at Hinata. Hinata gasped again.

"I s… see… me?"

"Yeah! I haven't given you new eyes or anything. I just combined our minds so you see what I see!" Iruka's jaw dropped. Technically speaking, this jutsu of Naruto's was the most amazing thing he had ever seen.

"I made it so you could see yourself and pass tomorrow. I worked on it for years, and it is almost done. It slightly interferes with my chakra when I use it, because a little is always going into whoever I use it on. It doesn't seem to affect the one I use it on, but it makes it tough on me to use my other jutsu…"

"Naruto! HOW ON EARTH DID YOU LEARN THAT JUTSU?"

"Wow, Iruka-sensei… you… l…look funny… w…when… you yell like that…"

"Ha-ha! Hinata's right, sensei! And I didn't learn it, I made it! It took me a really long time, too."

"Naruto, are there any side effects of the jutsu?"

"Well, depending on how much chakra I use it does different things! That was what confused me for the longest time. The more I add, the more ours minds intertwine. A lot and she could read my mind. Technically, though, I could read hers too. It is easy to just transfer sight with Hinata, cause then we don't get double vision. When I tried it on a rabbit, I was dizzy from all the hopping it did. I bet that if someone used it on a lot of people at once he would get a headache."

Hinata blushed at the thought of sharing minds with Naruto. She had a massive crush on her friend from birth and had had one for years, but he seemed to not notice at all. She would need to be very careful of what she thought when using this jutsu.

"It isn't really refined, like I said. I can barely use other jutsu while this is activated. It only lasts while I am within about ten meters of the person. Any farther and the jutsu breaks. I am working on getting it so I don't transfer anything but sight and longer distance… and I want to eventually get it so she doesn't just see what I see, but what she would see if she could see. I haven't figured out how to do that though…"

"That sounds good, but I have another idea."

"Sensei?"

"Naruto, I want you to not speak to anyone about this new jutsu until I get back. I need to see the Hokage. If you do work on it, try to make it just transfer thoughts, and nothing else."

"Huh? Why? Hinata thinks just fine…"

Iruka sighed. Naruto didn't comprehend what this jutsu had the potential of being.

"Naruto, Hinata, I need you to both come with me, ok?"

"To see the old man?"

"Hai, but he is the Lord Hokage. Address him as such."

"Yeah, whatever."

"N…Naruto… thank you!" Hinata managed to hug Naruto without passing out. She couldn't see Naruto's face, but if she could have she would have seen a large smile and a blushing face. Iruka laughed at the sight. Hinata held Naruto's hand as they followed Iruka through the city. She could see what Naruto was seeing, which was weird considering she was actually next to him. It was slightly disorienting, but it was millions of times better then nothing. Hinata had a smile that was as wide as Naruto's, and it drew stares.

When they reached the Hokage's Tower Iruka led them up to the Hokage's office and was immediately let in.

"Iruka, how are you doing? The genin exams are tomorrow, how are we going to do this year?"

"Hokage-sama, I think we will do quite well. In fact, Naruto here might have just developed a jutsu that could put our entire city at the top."

"Hmm?" In front of Naruto and Hinata was an old man in the robes of Hokage. The Third Hokage, Sarutobi, was an aged man who knew the value of things. He looked down at the blond with an apraising eye. What had Naruto come up with this time?

"Naruto, tell him."

"Hi, old man! Haven't seen you in a while! Well, you see, remember when Hinata had her eyes stolen?"

"That was the same night that the cloud emissary disappeared… yes, go on."

"Well, I promised Hinata that I would help her see again, and ever since I was admitted to the ninja academy I have been working on it. So I made a jutsu! I figured it would just be for Hinata, because she normally can't see, but sensei says it is cool stuff." Naruto first released the jutsu so he could show it in its entirety to the Hokage. Hinata frowned at the sudden lack of sight. It wasn't like she wasn't used to it, but it was so much better to see things then to not see things. Naruto held her hand and did signs in the other. "Mind Combination Jutsu." Suddenly Hinata's sight, or rather Naruto's sight, came back to her. She smiled again. The Hokage just sat there.

"So… what happened?"

"Hokage-sama… I… I can see!"

"What?"

"N…Na…Naruto-kun lets me see through his eyes…"

"Yeah, I worked on it for four years now!"

The Hokage looked at Iruka and then back at Naruto.

"Hinata, please tell me what color this…" He held up a scroll and unraveled it. "is."

"Hai… it is orange… like N…Naruto-kun…"  
The Hokage was shocked for a moment before closing the scroll and looking at Iruka again.

"Naruto _made_ this?"

"Yes, that's what he says."

"I did, really!"

"Well, Naruto. Did you know that what you just did should be impossible for a ninja of your level?"

"Um… what?"

"Everything, make a jutsu, one handed signs, transferring signals to another's brain."

"Nothing is impossible for a great ninja, and that's what I am going to be. So, does this mean I get to automatically move up to jonin?"

"No, nothing like that. You still need to pass tomorrows test. Naruto, can you teach that jutsu to anyone else?"

"Yeah, I was going to teach it to Hinata so she could use it whenever she wants. I still don't know why anyone else would want to see double."

"Not sight, Naruto. I want you do work on transferring thoughts."

"Why, that's confusing. I did it on a rabbit once and it was weird."

"You already can transfer thoughts?"

"Yeah, but that takes a lot of my chakra and it also transfers sight, sound, feelings, taste, and smell. And, trust me, grass tastes gross."

"Naruto, do you know what transferring thoughts would mean for a ninja team?" Naruto sat on the ground and put his chin in his hands. He just sat there for a minute before jumping up in realization.

"They would be able to know what each member is thinking and could silently communicate over large distances without worrying about radios and other equipment. Also, I think my jutsu works by transferring small amounts of chakra, so two ninjas could be watching another fight and be transferring extra chakra to him. Wow, my jutsu RULES!"

"You think?"

"I made it more through trial and error and an idea I got from a medical book from the Hyuga library."

Iruka sputtered. "You read medical books?"

"This one was about pressure points, kill zones, and other targets ninja often pick on bodies. It talked a lot about the brain."

The Hokage laughed a bit to himself. Naruto was a surprising ninja. The one who never read a thing he was supposed to read medical studies in his free time.

"Right, so would you work on that for us?"

"What? Sure. I am going to first work on making it so it doesn't interfere with my jutsu."

"It does that?"

"Yeah, the chakra transfer is controlled by the user and, for some reason, messes with my jutsu. Or… at least it did with the rabbit…"

"Well, Naruto. If you get this jutsu working I can guarantee you will never be poor."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, technically the city is obligated to "purchase" your jutsu if we intend to train our ninjas in it. If you get it working, the city will pay you to let us use it."

"Wow, cool. I'll work on it. But can me and Hinata leave now; we need to pass the exam tomorrow."

"Sure, go ahead. Don't show the jutsu to anyone else, though."

"What about Hiashi-sama?"

"Ok, just him though."

"W…what about Hanabi-imouto-san?"

"No."

"O…ok."

Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand again, causing her to blush, and raced out the door with the Hyuga heiress at his heels. Iruka turned to face the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama…"

"Yes?"

"If Hinata-hime actually manages to pass the exam…"

"If she does then she does."

"But that could be a disaster!"

"No, Iruka. A disaster would be having Naruto and Hinata be separated. That jutsu Naruto has could save so many lives it isn't even funny to mention him being separated from the girl he made the jutsu for and is like to work on it with."

"Hai. What if Naruto doesn't pass?"

"If he can make that jutsu…"

"Yeah, but if he should not pass…"

"Then he doesn't pass. We don't play games."

"If he does and Hinata doesn't or Hinata does and he doesn't?"

"… then that is the way the world works. I will think about that, though. You are right. Hopefully that is not the case…"

* * *

"Hiashi-sama! I made my jutsu work!"

"What are you talking about, Naruto." Hiashi was in the middle of training Hanabi in the art of Juken. Hinata finally saw what her little sister looked like. She was a lot like their father, while Hinata was more like their mother. Hinata turned and faced Hanabi and Hiashi and bowed.

"Gomen… I… N…Naruto-kun… made a jutsu…"

"Oh, really?" Hiashi looked at Naruto, expecting a jutsu that was obviously not his own.

"Yeah, now Hinata can see!" Naruto smiled. Hiashi's eyes bulged out.

"What?"

"Yeah, I made a jutsu so Hinata can see through my eyes until I make a permanent one or I get her eyes back! Hinata, tell Hiashi something about this room. Hinata watched as Naruto looked around the room. He stopped on a picture behind her. It was a beautiful ink painting of a waterfall and a small village beneath it. She had never seen it before.

"The painting behind me… it is of a village with a waterfall in the background. It is very beautiful…" Hiashi pulled out a blue piece of paper from his battle kimono. Naruto faced it.

"The paper in your hand is blue."

"Hinata, is it true?"

"Hai, otou-san. N…Naruto-kun made a jutsu that allows me to see what he sees."

"Yeah, and the Hokage wants me to develop it more and not show anyone except you… wait." Naruto looked at Hanabi, who was staring at her sister. "Actually, he said I wasn't supposed to show Hanabi, but as long as you don't tell anyone it is ok! Besides, I didn't actually show you the hand signs…" Hanabi had her Byakugan active as she looked at her sister and Naruto. There was a small stream of chakra traveling between their heads.

"Otou-san, chakra is traveling between them." Hiashi saw this also.

"Yes, I see. So that is how it works. Well, I am happy for you both. Congratulations, Naruto. I know you will do well in the genin exams tomorrow."

"Yeah, me and Hinata are going to fly through it!"

"Hinata?"

"Yeah, now that she can see herself she won't have any problem with henge or bunshin!" Hiashi frowned slightly at that, but it slowly slid into a smile. He remembered his wife's words to the girl. _Be Strong._

* * *

"_Hiashi-sama."_

"_Yes?"_

"_You know as well as I…"_

"_No, there shall be no retest until she turns 16."_

"_But how does she intend to be able to activate Byakugan without eyes? Her eyes, specifically!"_

"_The counsel agreed to this, it doesn't matter now and won't until she turns 16. There will be no other talk about it until that time."_

"_You know what will happen if she is found to be unfit at that time?"_

"_Yes."_

"_She will have the curse seal placed on her, and at that age it will likely kill her. It would be easier at this age…"_

"…_No."_

"_What?"_

"_Either she will overcome her problems or she will perish. It is the only way for any clan leader to work. If she is strong enough to be the clan head then she will find a way to regain her eyes by that time."_

"_Do you care nothing for your daughter's life?"_

"_SILENCE! My daughter would not be living as a branch member!"_

"_Is she living one now?"_

"_Naruto helps her."_

"_The demon brat?"_

"_If you mention that name one more time…"_

"_Alright, Hiashi-sama, but remember that I warned you. I was only thinking of your daughter."_

"_No, you were thinking about the clan."_

"_Is there a difference?"_

"_Yes, allowing my daughter a chance is how I am showing my love. I believe in her and Naruto. I am going to put my faith in them, for if I didn't it would be the same as taking a blade to their souls. They will find a way."_

* * *

What better way to get that way then become a ninja? Hinata turned to where she knew her sister was and bowed again.

"Imouto-san, you are very pretty."

"Arigato… onee-san."

"Hinata and I need to practice, back by dinner." Naruto ran out of the room, once again dragging the young Hyuga behind him. Hiashi hadn't felt this good in a long time… not since before Hinati died.

* * *

"Sakura Haruno, next." The pink haired girl walked into the examination chamber. The only people left to be tested were Hinata, Naruto, Shino, and a few other students. The benefits of sitting in the back of class. Naruto leaned over to Shino, across Hinata making her blush, and whispered to the black haired enigma.

"Yo, Shino. You, me, and Hinata are going to pass with flying colors this time. I just know it." Shino just looked at him for a good five seconds before saying one word in reply.

"Thanks."

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

"See ya on the other side with a headband!" Naruto ran down to the front and walked out the door and across the hall. Little did he know that he wasn't over ten meters from Hinata, and she continued to see, and unconsciously disrupt his chakra.

"Naruto, please perform a simple henge for us."

"Hai." Naruto smiled as he built up chakra. It felt weird, but he wasn't worried. "Henge!" Naruto vanished into smoke and when it cleared he was… still Naruto.

"Huh?" Naruto scratched his head. "Kai?" He released the henge and once again, vanished into smoke, which cleared to reveal Naruto again.

"That was… interesting… but not a real henge."

"No! Wait! I have this one, wait a second. HENGE!" Naruto vanished again into smoke. This time the smoke cleared to show… Naruto… minus his jacket. It wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Naruto, just taking off your jacket isn't a henge!"

"I don't know what's going on! Augh! Kai! HENGE!" Naruto disappeared again, this time reappearing as Naruto in his pajamas.

"Naruto, I am sorry…"

"Augh! Kai, HENGE!" Naruto vanished again, this time appearing as… a toaster. The proctors all stared at the weird toaster. It was wearing a chunin vest. It disappeared and Naruto came out.

"Was that ok?"

"Uh… I guess?"

"Sure, now create four bunshin."

"Ok." Naruto took a few deep breaths to calm himself. That had been really weird. He had wanted to do a henge of Iruka-sensei each time. "Bunshin no jutsu!" Two figures appeared next to Naruto, though each was most definitely not Naruto. One was the same toaster he had seen before, except it had no vest and was yellow, and the other was a piece of toast with yellow fuzz on top.

"Sorry Naruto, but you fail." Naruto had nothing to say. No yell of anguish, no cry of denial, no nothing. He walked out the door and went to sit on the swings.

"Hinata Hyuga, next!" Hinata got up and managed to weekly make it into the testing area. She had seen everything Naruto had seen. She also knew why he had failed. She would have had tears in her eyes, if she still had eyes, as she performed the jutsu she was told to flawlessly, exactly as Naruto would had done it had she not been in his head. When Naruto had left she had started day dreaming about him. First he was just as he normally was, then he removed the jacket, and then he was in his sleeping clothes, which made Hinata blush at herself. She had begun to think about her breakfast, and because she heard nothing from the connection and was engulfed in her own thoughts, she had no idea Naruto was being hurt by her connection to her. She had watched through his eyes as he walked out of the room and then suddenly she was back to being blind. She had already practiced perfectly, so she didn't need to see for the actual test. When they complimented Hinata on passing and had given her a Konoha headband and forehead protector she had sobbed a thank you and then nearly ran into a door trying to find Naruto. She felt her way outside before calling his name. She didn't realize the headband was on her head until Naruto called out to her.

"Hey, Hinata! Great job! I knew you would make it!"

"N…Naruto-kun… I… I…"

"What, do you want to see again?"

"N…no… I… gomen… I… it was…my f…fault…"

"What?"

"It was my fault… that… you didn't…"

"Nah, Hinata. I just totally lost concentration. But how did you… oh…"

"I forgot to tell you…"

"No, I should have remembered… well… at least we know how the jutsu interferes with my jutsu. Why were you thinking about me? Hinata gave a small squeak and a blush. That was one question she did not what to have to answer.

"Gomen…"

"Nah, Hinata. Don't worry about it. At least you and Shino made it…" Shino was now behind them with a headband around his hair.

"Naruto…"

"Yeah Shino."

"…You are still a good ninja…" Naruto chuckled a little at the largest string of words he had ever heard Shino say.

"Thanks. I think… I need to go practice."

* * *

Naruto had dropped Hinata back off at the house, leaving her to tell Hiashi-sama the good/bad news. He had gone out to a training area that was empty. He practiced his jutsu again, making sure that it had just been the connection. It had been. He felt that somehow he should blame Hinata, though that feeling lasted less then a second before he slapped himself. It had been entirely his fault, not hers at all. He sighed, he was laying on his back as he tossed a kunai into the air above his head a hundred feet and let it fall back till it was inches from his face before he caught it. He hadn't taken off his weights in nine years, because they were so small he had no need to. He knew that the weights were probably pretty heavy, but still had no reason to take them off._ Damn… I finally got Hinata to see and then help her become a real ninja. And then I go and do something stupid like that and lose my chance. _Naruto sighed again before grinning. _So what am I going to do? Quit? Not likely! I will just have to wait another six months before the next genin tests…_ Suddenly a person entered the clearing he was in. He was so startled that he nearly forgot to catch the kunai.

"Naruto-kun…"

"Mizuki-sensei?"

"I know of a way to get genin rank other then the test, and you can do it right now..."

AN: Yes, Hinata gets to see! YEAH! You get it now? They have four years to find Hinata's eyes or she will be cursed by the caged bird seal. Get it? The main conflict? Good. Next chapter will be a little longer then one day from now.


	4. Crime and Reward

AN: What am I doing? I am HURTING HINATA-CHAN! I feel so… evil… Sooooooooo… I apologize before hand for all the hurt I have and might cause Hinata in this fic. I liked this chapter a lot, so enjoy! Not hurting Hinata in this one!

Chapter 3: Crime and Reward

* * *

Hinata Hyuga was almost asleep when a shadowy figure appeared outside her window. It had been a big day, and she needed her rest for the next day when she would be given a genin team. The sun was almost gone when she heard a small knock on the window before it slowly swung open, nearly silent, but not quiet enough to get past Hinata's hearing. She slid her out of sight hand under her pillow and clasped the kunai she hid there in case of… enemies. She felt, more then anything, the footsteps of the intruder. She was about to swing her arm in an attempt to attack the unknown person when she heard a familiar voice.

"Pst! Hinata, are you awake?"

"Naruto-kun?" She sat up in bed and faced the boy she had come to appreciate as more then a brother… almost as a… crush… Suddenly she remembered two things. One was the kunai in her hand. Two was the fact that she was wearing pajamas in front of Naruto, something she had never done ever since she had come to… appreciate him more. She blushed and felt slightly dizzy as she covered up her already mostly covered body. Her clothes covered the same amount of skin as her regular clothes, just without the jacket she wore all the time. Naruto was oblivious to both actions.

"Yeah, it's me. Guess what? Mizuki-sensei told me another way to get genin!"

"N…n…nani?" Hinata wasn't aware of any other way other then passing the test. She leaned forward to hear what Naruto had to say, but in the process head butted Naruto. "G…gomen, Naruto-kun."

"No… my fault… here…" She felt his hand on her head and instants later she was able to see herself._ Do I really look like that without my eye cover?_ Hinata noticed that she looked like a very normal girl… just with her eyes closed. She knew she could probably open them, but didn't want Naruto, let alone herself, to see the empty sockets. _I thought they were disfigured… or something… _

"Ok, so do you want to come with me?"

"W…where?"

"Well, he told me that if I learn one technique from this scroll here and show it to Iruka-sensei then I will get to be a genin! So do you want to come too and learn a technique?"

Hinata was not sure about it in the least. If otou-san caught her and Naruto out of the house at this hour there would be many early training sessions to come. But… going anywhere with Naruto made her sort of happy inside in a way she didn't understand. "H…hai." Naruto reached for her hand and then they both jumped out the window, Hinata not noticing that she was still in her pajamas.

* * *

The Third Hokage opened his office door and stepped into the dreaded area of paperwork. He sighed. He had almost been home when he had remembered that he needed his house key if he wanted to sleep in a bed. The house key he had left in his desk. He walked over to the desk and opened the top drawer. He pull out the key and was about to leave when he saw something that should not have been. The room that contained the village scrolls… was open… Sarutobi knew that no one had opened the room in a week, so why was it open now? He stepped inside and searched for an irregularity. Nothing down one isle or the next. It was only in the third that he saw the empty space… the empty space that that should have held one of the most dangerous scrolls in the village. The one containing jutsus that had been deemed either too powerful to use for the sake of the user, or too dangerous should another village figure out how to use it. It contained personal jutsus from the first four Hokage's and various other jutsus that were jonin level or higher. _Uh…oh… _The Third immediately ran back to his desk and pressed the button calling his own elite ANBU guard. They immediately appeared next to him.

"Tell me, was anyone here between ten and twenty minutes ago?"

"Hokage-sama, you were here no less then fifteen minutes ago."

"That was not me! Gather up the clan heads, and bring me Iruka!"

"Why Iruka?"

"Because… I have a good idea who did this…" Sarutobi looked back at the missing slot for the forbidden scroll. Where a label normally would have been, a very recognizable swirl was inked over it.

* * *

"Hinata! Check this out! It's a clone jutsu, but different! It creates clones that are actually substance, not just illusion! I am going to learn this one. It looks like I can make more then four or five too…"

Naruto was totally engulfed in studying how to do the jutsu. Hinata, on the other hand, saw the small note at the bottom of the entry. It read, "Do not attempt this jutsu with a small chakra pool, it could cause severe chakra depletion and death."

"Naruto-kun… what does that say?"

"It says that it takes a large chakra pool, or it won't work. Good thing I have one!"

"Hai… N…Naruto-kun… but… I don't…"

"Oh! Right! Alright. Hm… I'll flip to one you can use once I get this one down!"

Hinata knew that Naruto had ten times the chakra she had, so he would be ok. The reality of it was that she could barely make five bunshins without them having any physical abilities. Creating one "real" one would be dangerous for her. She was concentrating on the jutsu below the one Naruto was looking at. _Hiraishin no jutsu? Flying Thunder God Jutsu? Good thing I brought a pad of paper…_ Hinata began writing down what looked like important formulas and basically copying everything she saw onto her paper. She might be blind and can't write to save her life, but she could copy very well. She had barely finished writing it all down, at least as far on the scroll as she could see, when Naruto jumped up and began to practice.

"Alright, let's try this. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto focused his chakra and made the cross shaped hand sign required and a clone appeared next to him. It looked tired. Hinata looked through Naruto's eyes at the clone that just yawned and then dispersed.

"N…Naruto-kun…"

"Yeah?"

"I… think… that you need more chakra put in… a lot more…"

"Hm… you're probably right. Ok, here we go again. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" This time Naruto was able to create two completely fine clones.

"I did it!" All three Narutos jumped into the air. Hinata smiled. Naruto came back to the scroll and started looking through it for a jutsu that would fit Hinata. She had learned the basics of juken, but wasn't very good at it due to a lack of sight and the byakugan. She wasn't bad using genjutsu, or ninjutsu, for that matter. Naruto figured it would be best to try to find a jutsu that was fast, like Hinata, so that when he figured out how to let her see again she would be able to hit people with a fast, powerful jutsu.

"Hmm… Hinata?"

"Y..yeah?"

"Do you like water jutsu?"

"H…hai."

"Well, here is a jutsu that is a water style. It sounds very cool. It's called a Geyser Jutsu."

"H…how do I… do it?"

"Well, let's see…"

* * *

Iruka was flying off to search his designated area of the city for his student._ What the hell has gotten into you, Naruto?_

"_Naruto Uzumaki has stolen the forbidden jutsu scroll." Instantly, every jonin and ANBU in the room except Sarutobi's personal guard let out a stream of curses from the demon haters and cries of "nani" from people who liked him._

"_He must be found! The demon brat!"_

"_I say will kill the bastard!"_

"_CALM DOWN!" The Third commanded silence. "He must be found, but not harmed. Chances are he has no idea what he has done…"_

"_Like it matters? Our villages most dangerous jutsu are now in the hands of the Kyuubi…"_

"_No, they are not." The leader of the Aburame clan spoke up, silencing everyone in the group. They all knew that no one from the clan talked unless they found it absolutely necessary, something about disturbing the bugs in their vocal cords was the common rumor._

"_What…"_

"_I said that the scroll is not in the hands of the Kyuubi. It is in the hands of Naruto Uzumaki, who, unless my memory is faulty, doesn't look, act, or think anything like the Kyuubi from 12 years ago."_

"_Shira is right!" This time it was the Nara who spoke up. Another person that was not often heard from. Though the reason was mostly that they found arguing too troublesome. "The Forth sealed it into the kid, he didn't make the kid into a new one. I mean, what's the logic behind that? You all know he would have sacrificed his life to save anyone in the village, but he would never sacrifice himself in an attempt to delay the inevitable. He must have thought the Kyuubi would be sealed away for good!"_

"_All this arguing is getting us no where! And both sides have been argued so many times it has gotten to just be futile to even adress the issue anymore." It was the Inuzuka who spoke up this time. "The brat, demon or not, has the most dangerous scroll our village has. We must find him now."_

"_Good. My orders are as follows. Split up. Here is a map with your designated search pattern. Go." All of the ninja jumped away. Sarutobi, on the other hand, gave a small smile. He was happy to find that some families, at least, supported Naruto. Sarutobi looked into his mystic ball and saw the same thing he had seen ten minutes ago. Naruto and Hinata sitting over an open scroll. He smiled. He knew exactly where they were and knew Iruka was on his way._

Iruka, on the other hand, had no idea where Naruto was, nor that he was nearly on top of them. He had been searching his area of the city for hours now and it looked like Naruto must be in another. It was only in the small forest area near the village walls that he felt two small chakra presences._ Two? Who is this?_ Iruka finally jumped off of the last tree branch and into a small clearing in the forest. There stood Hinata Hyuga in her pajamas, blushing furiously at being caught in the act of supporting Naruto on her shoulder. Naruto looked absolutely beat. After finding Hinata a jutsu to practice Naruto had gone off and tried to make more kage bunshins. He had managed to get it so he could have ten bunshins, but then he collapsed from chakra depletion. Hinata had just found him after practicing her own jutsu, and getting almost nowhere, and had decided to head home with her… friend… over her shoulder. Iruka had hopped down right in front of the blind Hyuga, startling her.

"I…Iruka-sensei!"

"Hey, I found you…" Naruto grinned at his sensei. This was just the man he was looking for, or would have gone looking for if he had had enough energy to stand. It was hard enough keeping the jutsu with Hinata up.

"No, Naruto. I found you. Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in?"

"Trouble? No, Mizuki-sensei told me that this was the perfect place to train. He also told me that this was the second way to get genin. He said if I managed to get this scroll out from under the Hokage's nose and show you one of the techniques then you would pass me!" Naruto smiled his obnoxiously large smile. "And guess what? I learned one! Hinata learned one too!"

"N…Naruto-kun… you stole it?" Hinata looked shocked.

"Hai, Mizuki-sensei said it was part of the test. He said it would test my thinking and stealth skills."

"Ano… I… guess…"

"GET DOWN!" Iruka suddenly dived, pushing both of his students to the ground, and getting a vest full of kunai in the process. Both students turned to look at Iruka, now pinned to the wall of the shed on the edge of the clearing.

"Iruka-sensei!"

"Very good job, Naruto. Now… give me the scroll." He looked up to see Mizuki standing on top of one of the trees.

"Nani? What are you doing… Iruka-sensei? Why did you attack Iruka-sensei?"

"Naruto!" Iruka pulled the kunai out of his vest and pulled out the one that had pierced his leg. "Naruto, Hinata! Run! You can't let him have the scroll!"

"Nani?"

"Naruto, give me the scroll. After all… what would you do with it… demon…"

"Mizuki!"

"Naruto, do you want to know a secret? It's a secret from 12 years ago."

"Don't!"

"You don't deserve to even be here, you hell spawn. You killed my parents and you killed Iruka's too. 12 years ago the Kyuubi attacked. But, unlike the textbooks say, the Forth was not able to kill said demon. So he sealed it into a child. That child…"

"STOP IT!"

"…was you."

"No…" Naruto knelt on the ground, Hinata was next to him, also stunned. She didn't believe him, but even if it was true she wouldn't care. Hinata faced the general direction she assumed he was in.

"S…so? N…Naruto-kun is n…not a d…d…demon. He is N…Naruto-kun! Even if he has a d…demon sealed inside, he would never hurt his friends… he is going to be Hokage!"

"Hokage? Ha! Don't make me laugh! That demon brat couldn't become half the… nani?" Mizuki, Iruka, and Hinata all watched as Naruto stood up. A killing intent was coming off of him that wasn't normal for Naruto... or a human. He faced the ground.

"I… am going to be Hokage one day! AND NO ONE IS GOING TO STOP ME! NOT NINJAS, NOT SOME STUPID DEMON, AND MOST CERTAINLY NOT YOU!" Naruto looked up, and Iruka and Mizuki gave small gasps. Narutos eyes, unseen to either him or Hinata, were red with slits in them, not blue. Hinata was just as angry as Naruto. She flipped through a large amount of hand signs. "Water Style: Steaming Geyser Jutsu!" Hinata put her hands to the ground and the tree under Mizuki suddenly became shrouded in a hot mist. Mizuki, not knowing what it was, leapt off and landed near Naruto. Iruka was slightly stunned that she was able to use the Second's water jutsu after only a few hours. Granted, it wasn't nearly as powerful, but just being able to pull it off was amazing. It would normally send up huge geysers of boiling water. Hinata had only managed steam, but that was the first step. Naruto did his hand sign. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto and Mizuki were suddenly surrounded by what looked like a few hundred Narutos. Iruka had to do a double take to make sure he was still alive and awake. Mizuki just stared and let his eye begin to twitch. Seconds after that and he was unconscious and on the ground. Iruka walked up to the two ninja.

"Wow, did you learn that in the period of a few hours?"

"Yeah. It wasn't that hard."

"Wasn't that… whatever. Naruto… you know… about the Kyuubi…"

"…"

"He was telling… a lie."

"Huh?"

"It was true that you have the Kyuubi sealed inside of you, but you are not him. You did not kill anyone. The Kyuubi did, and that is all some people choose to see when they look at you."

"Why?"

"Because they can't accept that the one thing they weren't strong enough to defeat is not dead and can actually be contained by a 12 year old boy. And because most of them are royal pains in the ass without a set of brains to match." Hinata blushed.

"I…Iruka-sensei…"

"Oops! Sorry, Hinata. You know, your jutsu that you pulled off was pretty impressive, too."

"Ano…"

"Hai, you are the first person to use that jutsu since the Second Hokage! Congratulations!"

"A…arigato." Hinata blushed deeper. Naruto brushed himself off.

"Naruto, close your eyes for a second."

"Huh?"

"Close your eyes, I have a surprise."

"Um… ok!"

* * *

"HIASHI-SAMA!"

"What? Have you found them?"

"Hai, they just walked up to the door!"

"Where are they now?"

"A…ano… we are right h…here…" Hiashi watched as his two children came out from behind the branch member. He signaled that the guard could leave and shut the door behind him. Hiashi motioned for Hinata and Naruto to come closer. They could tell he was mad. He was using his scary emotionless face. Naruto cringed a bit as he and Hinata stopped right in front of Hiashi.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"Well… you see, otou-san…"

"Hinata, it was my fault."

"How was it your fault? I was told that both of you were gone from you beds. I was told this at midnight. It is now six in the morning. Both of you left, and in doing so caused me a lot of… stress. It was like that night…" Hiashi's face slipped from its emotionless one and into one of sadness. Tears were in his eyes as he rushed forward to embrace his child and the boy he had come to think of as his own.

"Hiashi-sama… I'm sorry… you know that I didn't get genin, right?"

"Yes…"

_Hiashi was sitting in his office, filling out paperwork for the clan, when Hinata burst through the door with a sad smile on her face. Naruto was not with her. _

"_Hinata, how are you doing?"_

"_I reached genin…" Hinata pulled her headband off to show that it was no longer just a piece of cloth covering her eyes, but actually a Konoha forehead protector. Hiashi smiled._

"_That is great, daughter! I am very proud of you!"_

"_Ano… otou-san… Naruto…"_

"_Hm?"_

"_He didn't make it…"_

"_What? But he could do those jutsus forwards and backwards yesterday!"_

"_H...hai, but this time he didn't dispel the jutsu he used so I could see. Somehow my thoughts interfered with his jutsu and he failed! I feel so…"_

"_Now, now, Hinata. Don't feel bad. There was little you could have done."_

"_I know, otou-san, but I feel like I made him fail. And now…"_

"_He will be fine. You just need to trust in him. Just wait, he will be a genin in no time."_

"_Hai." Hiashi smiled, knowing that his daughter would not have been able to talk without stuttering if Naruto had been here._

"Well… I got it!"

"What?" Hiashi glanced down at the forehead of Naruto to see a genuine Konoha headband there and a genuine smile on Naruto's face.

"I got it tonight!"

"What happened tonight?"

"Well, yesterday I met up with Mizuki-teme and he told me…"

"Naruto, I taught you better manners then that! Mizuki-san."

"No, Hiashi-sama, Mizuki-teme. Just listen. He told me that if I managed to "aquire" a certain jutsu scroll from the Hokage's office and learn one technique from it then Iruka-sensei would let me graduate."

"What?"

"Yeah, so I did. I got the scroll, which turned out to be a scroll of forbidden jutsu, and came to get Hinata so she could learn one too. We went out and we each learned one jutsu. I learned Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, Hinata learned a cool geyser one. So then Iruka-sensei appeared and…" Naruto looked down at the ground.

"What?"

"… well. Mizuki-teme showed up and he hurt Iruka-sensei. Then he wanted me to give him the scroll, but sensei said not to. The… that teme told me… he said…"

"He said you were the container for the Kyuubi." Naruto looked up at Hiashi. He had been expecting for his adopted father to not know and hate him after he said it.

"Hai."

"Well, now that both you and Hinata know I can tell you both the story of the Kyuubi."

"Hai."

"Well, twelve years ago on Naruto's birthday there was an attack on the city by a demon. It was the Kyuubi no kitsune, the nine-tailed demon of legend. The most powerful demon lord. It attacked and the entire city tried to repel it. We… weren't able to. Your mother and father died in that attack, Naruto. But the Fourth, he had an idea. The only way to kill an immortal is to bind their soul to a mortal. So he took the only possible host for the Kyuubi and used a forbidden jutsu that sealed the Kyuubi inside of you, but it also caused the Fourth to die. He did it to protect the city, he even called you a hero before dieing. Those scars on your cheeks are actually marks made because the demon is inside of you, whisker marks."

"But... but…"

"Naruto, no matter what anyone tells you, you are not the Kyuubi. You are the Kyuubi's container, the jailor, not the caged. One of these days he might even help you. I was there at the sealing, entrusted to take care of you."

"What do you mean by "help"? So far all I have gotten are nasty looks and almost getting killed by a chunin instructor."

"Oh, one day you will know what I mean. Now, both of you."

"Hai?"

"Get ready for academy. Now that both of you are genin, you are going to get teams today."

"HAI!" Naruto ran off, accidentally leaving Hinata still kneeling in front of her father. Hinata still had something to say.

"O…otou-san."

"Yes, Hinata?"

"What Mizuki-te… san said... about Naruto… I don't believe it."

"What do you mean?"

"He said… that Naruto… would never get to be Hokage. Naruto will, and I w…will help him!" Hiashi smiled at his daughter. It was exactly as he had hoped and thought would happen. Hinata was too kind to blame Naruto for the Kyuubi's doing, and she was right. Hiashi sent her off with pat on her head. She was probably dead tired, but sleep could wait. It is said that people are drawn together stronger in bad times then in good times, and this was exactly what they were thinking about. Hinata had just found out the worst part about Naruto, and was just more connected with him. Hiashi watched as she found her way out of the room and down the hall. _She is strong of heart, even without the Byakugan she would be a good clan head. But somehow I don't think the counsel would agree._

Hinata's room was only a few more feet down the hall. Definitely not ten meters from her father's office. And sadly, for Hinata's sake, it wasn't ten meters from Naruto's room or the nearest bathroom. Naruto had decided to take a shower. Sadly, Hinata couldn't reach the bathroom before he turned on the shower and her banging on the door was useless. Her banging grew softer and softer as she watched, unwillingly of course, Naruto start to undress himself to take a shower. When Naruto came out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his body he found an unconscious Hinata leaning against the wall. He tried to wake her up, but each time she looked like she was about to wake up she just blushed and passed out again. Naruto gave up after a short amount of time and carried her to her room._ I hope she is ok for school..._

* * *

Naruto sat in his favorite seat next to Hinata and Shino with his head back and snoring lightly. They had gotten there early and Hinata couldn't bring herself to wake him up… or touch him in any way. Shino had inquired about how Naruto had gotten a headband and Hinata had told him most of the story, just not the parts about the Kyuubi. She was as tired as Naruto, but she managed to keep her eyelids pried open for the moment. Shino was on the other side of Naruto as her and suddenly leaned over to her.

"Hinata-san."

"Y…you don't need to say… san…"

"Hinata."

"Hai?"

"Can I wake Naruto?" Naruto's snoring was getting on his nerves slightly, but the reason he wanted Naruto awake was because Iruka had just walked into the room.

"Hai."

Shino almost seemed happy as a bug flew from his sleeve and onto Naruto's face, where it ended up biting Naruto on the nose.

"HUH! I'll take a miso ramen!" The entire class was silent and stared at Naruto in the back. The black haired kid in the middle, flanked by pink and blond haired girls, gave a short snort at him. In response to his actions, each girl also stuck their noses up at Naruto. There was a thin boy sleeping in the front next to a delightfully plump boy who woke up at Naruto's outburst. But he didn't say anything except a mumble about something being too troublesome. The large boy looked back at Naruto and gave him a thumbs up. Naruto didn't know what was going on still, so he gave one back. A boy with a dog on his head called him a baka before turning back to Iruka.

"Naruto. Stay awake, ok?"

"Hai, sensei."

"Iruka-sensei?" It was the pink haired girl next to the cool kid. Naruto didn't like the looks of him at all. It reminded him of what Neji had become in the past nine years. A snob. Heck, it was Sasuke. Naruto didn't like anything about him.

"Yes, Sakura?"

"I thought that Naruto didn't pass. Why is he here?"

"Because Naruto managed to save an important document from falling into a spy's hands last night. That is probably why he is so tired. He was official promoted to genin, along with the rest of you, for defeating the low level chunin, former Mizuki-sensei, and saving the scroll from harm."

The class was stunned. Only the black haired kid spoke. "You mean this… dobe… managed to beat a chunin? Mizuki-sensei taught weapons training in small arms. How could a stupid kid like him win?" Naruto was on his feet in an instant, ready to use his new jutsu to pulverize the offender.

"Sasuke Uchiha. Naruto did. I witnessed it."

"N…Naruto-kun is n…not stupid!" Everyone, including the Sasuke kid, turned to face a very red faced Hinata. She was standing next to Naruto. That is, she was standing next to Naruto until she saw throught his eyes that he was looking at her. Then she was passed out next to him. Naruto was trying to wake her up while Iruka started listing teams.

"Ok, so each of you knows how this works. Three of you will be paired with a jonin instructor. You will meet your teacher sometime today. I will now announce the teams. Get used to them, because they can't be changed. Kiba Inuzuka, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno. You are now team seven." Sasuke and Kiba both slammed their heads into the tables in front of them.

"Naruto Uzumaki, Shino Aburame, and Hinata Hyuga. Team eight." Suddenly Naruto was jumping around and laughing.

"YESYESYES! The three coolest ninjas in one team!"

"Naruto, calm down."

"Hai!" Naruto sat down and continued to try to wake Hinata.

"Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, Ino Yamanaka. Team nine." Choji pumped a fist while the Nara kid slept through it. Ino looked about as happy as Sasuke did.

"Your sensei will arrive shortly. Congratulations and good luck." Iruka left with a smile. As he left a beautiful woman with red eyes entered.

"Team eight?"

"HAI!" Naruto suddenly appeared in front of her with Hinata slung over his shoulder. Shino was right behind him. She blinked a few times, not even seeing where he had come from before motioning for them to follow her. They did and eventually arrived at a clearing in one of the training areas. Naruto set Hinata down and she woke up. This time she stayed awake, with Naruto not two inches from her face and his lips so close… augh! Hinata sat up quickly and noticed a woman she had never seen before. Which didn't mean much because there was still so much she had never seen. Naruto still had his jutsu on, so she was able to see her.

"Um… Hinata Hyuga. I am over here."

"Gomen."

"Alright. I guess we should start with some introductions. I will go first. My name is Kurenai Yuhi. I am your jonin instructor. You can call me Kurenai-sensei, thank you. I enjoy gardening as well as being a ninja. My goal is to eventually rid the world of evil so that I don't need to be a ninja. Now, you, the yellow haired kid."

Naruto thought her goal was quite lofty, but not any more then his was.

"Hai. I am Naruto Uzumaki. I like Hinata, Shino, and the rest of my friends. I also like ramen and new jutsu. I am going to be Hokage one day, but before that I am going to help Hinata get her eyes back!"

"I am Shino Aburame. I enjoy… insects… I am going to be the next head of my clan."

"Ano… I am Hinata Hyuga… um… I… I like… um… flower pressing… and um…" Hinata was blushing furiously. "I want to be a good leader to my clan… eventually… um… and… I am going to… h…help N…Naruto-kun become Hokage." She smiled shyly and turned away from the group so she could no longer see her blush through Naruto's eyes, only her hair.

"Well, I must say that this is a quite… unique team. Two clan heads, one blind girl, and a hyperactive blond."

"Hey! Hinata is not blind! She can see just fine!"

"What? I was told that she had her…"

"Yeah, but I made a jutsu so she can see! I am still working on it, but one day it is going to be the most known jutsu in the village! Just ask old man Hokage…"

"N… Naruto-kun…"

"Fine… Hokage-SAMA."

"So Hinata, you can see me?"

"When N…Naruto-kun looks at you."

"Yeah, until I find another way, she looks through my eyes! Cool, huh?"

"Yes… actually that is very interesting. I think I will talk to the Hokage. Show up here tomorrow, we will begin training at seven in the morning. Be here."

"Hai!" Kurenai disappeared. Shino stood up to leave, but just as he was about to head out he turned to Naruto.

"Naruto…"

"Yeah, Shino?"

"We are going to be a great team."

"You bet! Friends make the best teams!" Naruto smiled at the Aburame and was surprised to find that he could barely see Shino smiling back.

"Thank you, Naruto."

* * *

AN: Read and Review, please. So… why didn't Hinata's bond with Naruto screw up the Kage Bunshin? Explain it later, I will. What the hell do I plan to do for the land of waves mission? Don't have a damn clue yet, but I will have it ready in the next chapter. Will Naruto's jutsu advance? Hell yeah! A new way to use it will be in the next chapter. Remember the piece of paper in Hinata's pocket? Good. That might come into play in the next chapter. A little. No, Naruto won't learn that YET. Not even close to a jutsu of that caliber. Ok, next chap in a few days. I changed the rating cause I don't have blood yet, so if I feel like lowering the rating for now.


	5. Ripples and Waves

AN: Thanks for all of the reviews. Welcome to the section of my fanfic that is going to follow the manga story slightly. Also, notice there is a small time skip here. They have been a team for a few weeks now and are on a mission… a very memorable mission… involving a… cat. Next chapter! Oh, and if anyone was wondering about the rating change, it might change back to M when I get to a really bloody part, like Zabuza's death ect. So… it might go back to M, just didn't deserve M at this time… I think… I mean the whole eye seen wasn't too gruesome, right?

Chapter 4: Ripples and Waves

* * *

A shadow stalked through a wooded area of Konoha, dangerous to any and all. Three shadows waited for it, in an ambush. It was the only thing to do, it was the mission. They were professionals. They had experienced this same type of mission many times before. Actualy... it was the same mission. The exact same mission.

_Naruto… ready?_

_I'm ready, Hinata where is the target?_

_Target ten meters away and closing._

_I have visual._

_Wait… I… I see it._

_Ready?_

_Hai, Shino, go._

One of the shadows held his arms out and a wall of insects rose up in front of the stalker. The villian reared back and gave an inhuman hiss before being tackled by a third shadow. They rolled around on the ground, now in the light between the tree, showing a ninja of the leaf wrestling with a… house cat. Naruto Uzumaki finally held the cat up by its neck, not without severe scratches and cuts on his face. He glared at the cat with a stare that would have frozen a jonin in their tracks. Sadly, all it did to the cat was get in angry and it managed to grab onto his face again. The other two people in the hunt stood off to the side, one emotionless but laughing on the inside, the other looked worried.

"Naruto-kun… are… you…"

"Never better!" Naruto created two shadow clones to hold all four legs of the cat before walking back to his friends.

_Naruto…_

_Yeah, Shino?_

_We should deliver the cat…_

_Yeah, we should… but I really want to tie it in a bag and find a deep river…_

_N…Naruto-kun!_

Naruto did a simple hand sign and released his jutsu.

"Just kidding, Hinata! Well, I guess we can call this test of the Mind Combination Jutsu a success."

"It was a success the first time we used it in a mission."

"Yeah, but this is the first time we used it to ambush a nin… I mean cat."

"N…Naruto-kun. Did you give it to the Hokage yet?"

"Yeah…"

* * *

"_Hey, old man Hokage!"_

"_Naruto, what brings you to my office today?" The Hokage sat in his usual chair looking out over the city. It was one of the only peaceful times he had, due to all of the paper work he usually did. Today was a break, and a much needed one at that. The Hokage wasn't getting any older._

"_You told me that you wanted me to create a jutsu… you know…"_

"_Oh yes. How are you coming?"_

"_Done."_

"_What?" The Hokage had thought it would take Naruto another four years to finish the jutsu. Not four weeks, most spent not training but on simple D ranked missions. _

"_Hai, it is done. The only draw back is that I still can't pull off simple jutsu with it active. By simple I mean something using no hand signs or maybe a low level one with one hand sign. My bunshin won't work, but kage bunshin works just fine and so do the rest of my and Hinata's higher level jutsu."_

"_How is she doing, by the way?"_

"_Much better. I actually came across a variation of my jutsu in trying to make this one. I figured that since I was able to transmit sights and thoughts through chakra instantaneously then that meant chakra can not only transfer, but acquire sights and thoughts. I had a new forehead protector plate made for Hinata's headband which she wears over her… you know. It was made from chakra conducting metal. I did a few changes to the jutsu and now the metal actually takes in sights and gives them to Hinata when she puts chakra through it. The best part is that, because she is just circulating the chakra and the metal has the same resistance of human chakra coils, she doesn't actually burn chakra. She can keep it up indefinitely."_

_The Hokage just stared at the boy. The fact that a child, even one raised in the Hyuga household, could develop such a complex jutsu was beyond him. _

"_Naruto… how long did you say you worked on this jutsu?"_

"_Oh, about four years or so."_

"_Just four years?"_

"_Yeah, but I had being studying about eyes since I could read. It's my life goal to help Hinata get her eyes back, and it just seemed like the natural first step to help her see without eyes first."_

_The Hokage slumped back in his chair. He knew that only a few clans would agree with him, but this kid was turning out to be the same genius his father was._

"_So… you want it, or not?"_

"_Yes Naruto, can you show me how it works?"_

"_Sure, first I do the signs Bear, Rabbit, Bear, Rabbit, Dog, Ram. Then you touch the person you want to share minds with." Naruto came over and did as he said. The next words he said were not from his mouth, but just came into the Hokage's mind._

"_And that is that." Naruto released his jutsu and left the Hokage's mind._

"_Very nice. What are the capabilities of it?"_

"_Anything. Depending on how much chakra you give to the jutsu it can last until the person gets a certain distance away. Me and Hinata got over half a kilometer away and we could still hear each other."_

"_Excellent! Naruto, you don't have any idea as to how this will help save ninja's lives."_

"_Sure, but I don't want any ninja's my age knowing how to do it."_

"_Hmm?"_

"_I don't want anyone to know the technique even exists until my team goes to the chunin exams, whether they are the ones next month or later. It is a serious advantage that I want my team to keep. So I will give you this scroll containing all information on it and what it does if YOU promise that it doesn't get spread to anyone except ANBU until the chunin exams are over. After that everyone will know that we are using it anyway."_

"_Alright, agreed. As for payment… I have been approved to give you a rather large sum of money. As such, I am not going to hand it to you in person. The counsel put the money in this account. It is yours, I will sign it over now. You can go see how much money is in it anytime after this letter reaches the bank. I would say tomorrow."_

"_Thanks, and don't forget your promise."_

"_No, Naruto, thank you."_

* * *

"Oh, I forgot! I should probably see how much they paid me for it! Hey, guys. I made sure that the jutsu won't be used against us when we do the chunin exam. No one except ANBU can learn it until we go through the chunin exams."

"Good…" Shino was still as stoic as ever. Even when they had their team's special jutsu on he didn't even think very much. "That was a very good choice."

"N…Naruto-kun… should we go bring the cat back now?"

"Sure, Hinata. And after that we can all go out for ramen! I'll treat!"

"Gomen, I must return to my clan for a small amount of time. Enjoy lunch." Shino disappeared. He was easily as good at stealth as any ninja and he was team eight's expert in stealth, capturing, and containing. He was able to silently go anywhere and release his insects. His insects would easily contain or kill any ninja less then a midlevel jonin.

Hinata was the expert of the team in backup. She would stay hidden and access all of the threats and when one of her teammates was in trouble she would jump in to help. With her modified style of juken, she was deadly in battle. Without being able to actually see tenketsu she had no use for the perfect precision of finger pokes, though she still had near perfect chakra control. She used a different style that relied entirely on causing a massive amount of internal damage by using chakra focused in her hands and feet, something regular juken users cannot do, and striking hard and fast. Her style had caused bruises during the academy days on every hit, breaking blood vessels, but now a full powered hit could mess up the entire muscle structure of the body. Naruto had been hit by one of her more powerful hits in a spar and had not been able to move his arm for hours, and that was with his incredible recovery rate. Hinata had not known, but her strike would have actually put him in the hospital for weeks if he had not been able to self heal. The Hyuga counsel thought her style was barbaric and tried to ban her from using it. Hiashi had put a stop to that.

Naruto was the unofficial team leader. They had never actually elected anyone, but they all knew that they would have elected him if they had held an election. He was the one who performed the mind combination due to his massive and seemingly endless chakra pool. He always seemed to have more stamina then anyone else. After an entire day of training and sparing he would stay behind to work on his own personal jutsu. He had never held back anything for his team. They were a very tight knit team, close friends and, in the case of one young girl, friends and a crush.

Hinata knew that she was betrothed to Naruto, but that was not what was driving her in her admiration of the boy. He had returned her sight to here and had promised to get her eyes back if they existed. He helped her get stronger. In the two weeks since she had been able to see she had not only mastered how to attack by sight, but had also come to realize that Naruto was very, very good looking. When she was in his presence she was staring at him. And because her "eyes" couldn't be read he had no idea that she couldn't take her mind and "eyes" off of him. She was addicted to him, and felt like there was nothing she could ever do to pay him back.

Naruto and Hinata were walking down the street hand in hand. It was not because they wanted to, or at least that was what Naruto said to himself as Hinata blushed, but to keep up the charade that Hinata was, indeed, blind. It would come in handy later, Naruto knew. They walked up to the bank of Konoha, a fine, upstanding establishment that stored most of the ninjas from Konoha's savings. Naruto walked up to the teller and asked to see a statement on his bank account. The teller, though disgusted by the idea of serving the demon child, had received specific instructions from the Hokage that if he mistreated the child OR his account then he would die a slow painful death in the ANBU prison. He gave Naruto a slip of paper with the balance of his account on it. Naruto wet bug eyed.

"I…would like to withdraw a thousand ryo." Naruto got his money before heading outside. When they arrived at the ramen stand he subtly showed the bank statement to Hinata. She was astonished. In her free time she had been learning to read and she knew that a number with that amount of zeros was big.

"N…Naruto-kun… how much is that?"

"I… um… a lot?"

"N…now you can afford those special kunai!"

"Oh, yeah! I'll order those today! Thanks for the reminder, Hinata!" Hinata just blushed and tried to cover it up by slurping more of her noodles. Which, it seems, turned out to be a bad idea, as she began choking. Naruto, not knowing the first thing about how to help a choking victim, just hit her on the back softly. Or… it was soft for Naruto, but it made Hinata fall forward and right into her ramen bowl. Luckily, Hinata had stopped choking when she pulled her face out of the ramen. Naruto was partially shocked, but at the same time he was stuttering out apologies while the old man and his daughter were laughing their butts off at his expense. He grabbed a napkin and began cleaning Hinata's face and arms, but when he starting cleaning her upper chest and appeared to have no intention of stopping Hinata blushed even more.

"N…N…Naruto-kun!"

"It's Ok, I'll c…clean it off, Hinata."

The attention to her…chest area… and the earlier touching on her face and arms by the boy she loved had taken its toll and if she had had eyes, they would have rolled back in her head before she passed out in Naruto's arms. He was frantic now, his best friend and teammate unconscious in his arms and covered in ramen. And it didn't help that every other person in the ramen stand was on the ground trying to breathe through their laughter. Naruto seemed to be the only person that had no idea why Hinata had passed out.

"Hey, stop laughing! I can't even tell if she is breathing!" Naruto might have known everything there was to know about eyes and complex mind sharing jutsus, but when it came girls… he was as dense as concrete.

"N…Naruto… I… we… you… her… HAHAHAHA…"

Naruto was lucky that Hinata woke up shortly after she passed out. Of course, finding herself in her loved one's arms and covered in warm liquid from head to toe didn't help her remain that way. She managed to stay awake until Naruto had helped her walk out of the ramen stand and into the street. She was unconsciously leaning on his shoulder as she walked, which was probably for the better because if she had known what she was doing she would have just passed out again. They reached the Hyuga complex, where Naruto informed the young girl, still in shock from having Naruto touch her… breasts… that he was going to take a shower. This, sadly, reminded her of another time he had taken a shower, which, in turn, caused her nose to start to bleed, Naruto to comment on how sorry he was for accidentally slamming her into her lunch and causing the nose bleed, and Hinata passing out as he reminded her of the incident again. After all, a young girl can only take so much.

When she woke up Naruto was out of the shower and in his room, changing. Hinata took this chance to take her own shower. She was done and changed in fifteen minutes. Naruto, showing how lucky he was, came into her room without a knock mere seconds after she had pulled on her shirt. She blushed again, but managed to retain consciousness.

"Hinata, gomen…"

"It's ok, Naruto-kun."

"We should head back to the Hokage's office. My kage bunshins completed the mission already and have our pay there. Kurenai is waiting for us too, probably. Are you sure you are alright?"

"Hai… N…Naruto-kun…"

"Great! Let's go get us a better mission then hunting cats!"

"Hai!"

* * *

Neither ninja was surprised to find two Narutos being chewed out by Kurenai-sensei with Shino standing beside her. Apparently they had scared the cat almost to death by throwing it hundreds of feet in the air and then catching it by its tail while delivering her. When she saw the real Naruto and Hinata holding hands and walking towards her she smiled a little. _Young love…_ Naruto and Hinata walked over and apologized for being late before they all went in for the next mission.

"Hey, old man! We want a better mission this time!"

"Naruto, calm down and show some respect!"

"But Kurenai-sensei, her keeps giving us all of these D ranked missions. Picking potatoes, catching a cat, none of it is even challenging for us! Come on, old man, let us do a fun one!"

"Naruto, you know that C ranked missions and higher are usually kept for chunin or jonin."

"Yeah, well we have had one or two missions a day this past month and haven't failed one! So at least give us a C or something…"

"Yes." Shino quieted the room with his one word plea. "If you ever intend to allow ninjas to succeed, then you must let us test our abilities. D ranked missions will not prepare us for chunin."

"Yeah, what Shino said!"

The Hokage sat in thought for a second. _Hm… the Aburame is right… if any team deserves this I guess it would be Naruto's. It shouldn't have too much danger, and they would have probably gotten the mission had they been just a few hours earlier. Maybe… yeah that would work._

"Alright."

"Ah… come one old man… wait… what?"

"Alright, I am assigning you team to a joint team mission with team seven. Rank C. They have already left, but they are escorting a non ninja so it will be easy to catch up. Leave within the hour. Kurenai, here is all of the information we have on the mission. Relay it to your team after you have caught up."

"ALRIGHT! AN ESCORT MISSION! Thanks old man, we won't let you down, let's go!"

* * *

Naruto, Hinata, Shino, and Kurenai were jumping through the tree tops on the edges of the road. Apparently their escort was an expert bridge builder who asked for protecting until his bridge is built. They would be working with team seven, but Naruto couldn't remember who was on it. They knew that they must be close, they had only left half a day ago and they were walking according to the Hokage. The sun was almost ready to set when they saw the group in front of them. Naruto was about to yell out a greeting when two figures suddenly rose up out of a puddle of water on the ground. They held a chain between them, which they promptly used to cut team seven's jonin instructor into small pieces. Naruto was the first to act. They started to wrap it around the Inuzuka boy Naruto remembered from the academy.

"Oh no you don't! Shino, Hinata!" Shino had already gone to work. His insects were flying through the air towards the two ninjas. Hinata began a series of hand signs. Before she pulled her jutsu off, Naruto had used two kunai to pin the chain to a tree.

"Boiling Geyser Jutsu!" Hinata placed her hands on the ground and two small jets of boiling hot water shot out of the ground and into the backs of both ninjas. They were pushed to the ground by the high pressure water and also burned by the scalding water. Instants later, one ninja found a ninja on his back with a kunai to his neck and another ready to stab his heart. The other was secured to the ground by chakra-eating insects. Suddenly, the jonin who had been killed earlier appeared in front of them.

"Well, well. Kurenai, it looks like the Hokage sent you to help us."

"Yeah, he felt like we needed to save your sorry ass."

"Students, this is Kurenai-sensei, she is the leader of team eight, who you see right there."

"The dobe, the blind girl, and the living ant farm?" Sasuke Uchiha was still as annoying as ever, Naruto saw. The pink haired girl next to him was showing the exact same expression… disdain. The Inuzuka boy was the only one who even appeared to look like he was happy to see them, though Naruto suspected that he was happier that Hinata was here, rather then the team. He smiled his weird, dog-like, grin at her and, even though she couldn't "see" it, she shivered.

"Uchiha-teme, too bad we had to show up and steal your thunder. Obviously you think you could take these guys on by yourself. After, of course, they killed your teammate."

"We didn't need or want your help, dobe."

"Yeah, we didn't want your help!" That pink haired girl was getting on his nerves. Naruto sighed, still on top of the ninja. He hit the ninja on the back of the neck, knocking him unconscious and had Hinata throw him a rope. A minute later and the ninjas were tied securely to a tree.

"Team eight, besides the rest of my team I appreciate your help. I guess we are together for the duration of the mission then, aren't we?"

"Hai, Kakashi. Naruto, Hinata, Shino. Meet Kakashi-sensei, leader of team seven, known pervert, and one of Konoha's most famous ninjas."

"Nice to meet ya." Kakashi gave a smile under his mask. His one visible eye was the only thing that tipped off the fact that he was smiling. Naruto, not accustomed to smiles except from his close friends, smiled back.

"Same here, Kakashi-sensei. I'm Naruto Uzumaki and I am going to be the Hokage one day!" That comment produced snorts and laughter from team seven.

"Hmph, how do you think you are going to reach Hokage, dobe?" Naruto was sick of this team. Hinata found his arm and held on to it.

"N…Naruto-kun… don't get angry…"

"Hai. Well, I will be Hokage. This is Hinata Hyuga, she is an awesome ninja even though she lost her eyes a long time ago. She can almost see as well as I can with her hearing! The guy over there with the bugs is Shino Aburame, and he is an awesome ninja too. He can use his bugs to do anything. He doesn't talk much."

"I wouldn't either, if I had bugs crawling through my body." This time it was the boy with the dog on his head.

"Shut up, dog boy! Shino and Hinata are better ninjas then you would… oww." Naruto suddenly held his hand and knelt on the ground. Hinata was partially dragged with him.

"Naruto-kun?" She reached out to find his hand and touched it, but found it slick from a fluid… "Naruto-kun, you're bleeding!" Kurenai was at his side in a second. She looked at the wound and then at the confiscated gauntlet of the ninjas.

"Naruto, were you cut by his claw?"

"Yeah, but I figured it would heal ok…"

"It was poisoned."

"Kuso!"

"We are heading back n…" Kurenai was about to gather he team and leave, but everyone heard the telltale sound of blade cutting flesh. They all looked to see Naruto's hand covered in blood and a kunai sticking in it. It was bleeding profusely.

"Naruto…"

"We don't retreat. We don't hold back. We never quit, that's our nindo, right? I will be fine, now. It will bleed out the poison in a minute. I will be fine after that." Hinata was busy finding the bandages she had packed and wrapped them around Naruto's hand.

_Naruto-kun… that's why I like you so much. You are so strong and determined. There is nothing you can't do, it seems._

"Dobe…"

"Teme…"

"I don't know if it really matters, but shouldn't we get going?" Naruto suddenly noticed the man they were supposed to escort. He smelled like sake and sweat, the smell of a depressed worker.

"Actually, sir." Kakashi stood in front of the man. "We were not informed that ninjas were after you, this fact would have at least ranked this mission a B. I think you need to tell us everything."

"How do you know they were after me?"

"They said so."

"Oh…"

"So…"

"I… I have no idea."

"Wrong answer. If you don't tell us then we have no obligation to continue with this mission."

"Ok, fine. Have you heard of Gato?"

"Gato, as in the large business Gato?"

"Yeah, well he has a monopoly on our little land of wave. Our island is secluded because Gato controls all of the boating around us. He charges outrageous prices for any food and everyone that has stood up to him has died. The bridge I am building will put an end to his monopoly on the trade in wave, so he wants to kill me."

"Well… if I know this Gato character then the next person he sends after us will be a jonin, not those chunin. We should camp here for the night. In the morning we can discuss whether or not to continue on the mission."

"Good, cause I'm tired." Naruto stretched and yawned. Hinata smiled at his near child like behavior. In some ways he never grew up, but as a ninja he was one of the best. _And as a friend… and as a handsome... wait… stop now Hinata!_ Hinata was blushing as everyone started setting up tents. She sat back against a tree, not because she was lazy, but because she still needed to keep up the charade that she couldn't see at all. From time to time she would notice Sakura, the pink haired girl, look over at her with a look of pity mixed with slight anger. The black haired boy that didn't like Naruto wouldn't even look at her. But what creeped her out the most was that Kiba, the boy with the dog, would often stare at her in a way that made her very uncomfortable. She didn't show any outward reactions to his glances, but she inwardly shivered every time he showed his canines in that feral smile. Luckily, Naruto came over to her when his tent was set up.

"Hey, Hinata. Do you want to go train on that new jutsu?"

"S…sure, Naruto-kun." Hinata had given Naruto the slip of paper she had copied from the forbidden scroll a few days after the whole incident. He had looked it over, and after seeing that it had only been mastered by one other ninja ever, the Fourth, he decided to learn it. That was what he needed the special kunai for. Normally it would be possible to do the jutsu without the kunai, but the whole idea behind the jutsu was to move at the speed of light between multiple seals. Paper seals would work, but they would be able to be damaged and were less reliable. The kunai Naruto had order would have the seal etched into them, making each kunai a near indestructible point that he could travel to in an instant. In the mean time he had been working on teleporting to a stationary seal on the ground. So far… it wasn't going well. The amount of chakra called for in the jutsu was immense, more then any jutsu Naruto could think of. The first time he had accomplished it he had spent the next day in the hospital suffering from chakra exhaustion. And he had only traveled about ten meters. Slowly he had worked up so he could do three or four at twenty meters, but he only tried at night so he would be able to recover in his sleep. He always brought Hinata with him so that if he passed out someone would know.

Naruto and Hinata walked a bit away from the group and found a stream. Naruto decided that it would be a good test of the jutsu to put the seal on the other side of the stream, and if no ripples appeared on the surface then that would mean he was doing it right and not just running fast. Naruto drew a kunai and wrapped the special seal around it. He threw it with absolute precision towards a tree on the other side. It was intercepted by another kunai in midair, though, and landed in the river.

"Hey! My kunai!" Naruto dived into the stream and found his kunai at the bottom. Of course, the seal had been ruined by the water._ Great, it will take me another hour to make another one. If I make one mistake it won't even work. Who did that?_ Naruto jumped out of the water and flew into the air. It took him less then a second to see the Uchiha sitting in a tree with another kunai in his hand.

"Heh, the dobe can't even throw his kunai across the river."

"Uchiha-teme, I would like to see you try." Naruto drew his own kunai, six per hand, and prepared to throw them at either the Uchiha or his kunai.

"What? You think you can stop me? I was the number one kunai thrower in the academy, while you were close to dead last."

"Try me." Naruto smirked. He knew he had been able to hit the bull's eye one hundred percent of the time by the time he was six. He had just been biding his time so that he could graduate with Hinata. The Uchiha gave his own smirk before launching two kunai towards the other bank of the stream fast enough that Hinata could barely catch his movement. But as they were in the middle of the river they were stopped in midair. Naruto had thrown his own kunai so the point of the Uchiha's kunai went through the loop of his own. Sasuke's kunai spun around and hit the stream in the middle.

"Lucky shot, dobe." Sasuke threw five kunai this time, each aimed for a different spot on the other bank.

"Not luck, teme." Naruto two of his own kunai and managed to knock all five out of the air by knocking them into each other. "I only needed to use two to knock down five? You are too predictable." Naruto dove into the water and came up with all of the kunai. He placed them into his own pouch. "Spoils to the victor, eh?" Naruto smiled as he walked back to the camp with Hinata holding his hand. Sasuke Uchiha just sat in the tree and glared at Naruto.

* * *

That night was not the most peaceful night Hinata had had. In fact, it might have been the weirdest night of her life. She slept in the same tent as Sakura and Kurenai, but Kurenai had first watch so it was just the pink haired fan girl and herself in the tent. And Sakura was determined to know everything about her.

"So… Hinata… what is it like to be…"

"Blind?"

"Yeah…"

"Imagine what it would be like if the world died." Sakura went pale. "Not a good picture, is it?" Sakura shock her head. "Well, that is not exactly what it feels like. The world dies, but with friends like Naruto-kun you don't need to worry because even if the world is dead you will always have someone with you."

"Why? What could Naruto do? He was just a failure back in the academy."

"No, he wasn't!" Hinata was as shocked by herself as Sakura was. "I mean, he isn't a failure. He always tries his best and never gives up. The day after I lost my eyes I felt like my life was over. At the age of three I had nothing to live for. I gave up. But then Naruto-kun showed up and told me that he promised to help me get my eyes back. Naruto-kun has never broken a promise yet. So, even if it isn't possible, I know Naruto-kun will try his hardest to help me. He gives me inspiration to never give up. Even if it isn't possible… I won't ever give up. That's my nindo, too."

"Oh… so do you like Naruto?" Hinata blushed. Of course she liked Naruto, but did she really want to tell this girl who, only moments ago was making fun of him? Yes. She really did. She couldn't tell Naruto, but she needed to get it out of her system.

"Um… like… you mean… like… love?"

"Yeah, I love Sasuke-kun. Do you love Naruto? You certainly sound like you do."

"Um… I… I… don't… maybe… I… yeah."

"Yeah?"

"…Yeah." Sakura gave a little squeal of delight at haven been giving this little tidbit of information. "Sakura, I need to sleep…"

"Oh, right! 'Night!" Sakura was out like a light.

* * *

Naruto was startled by the squeal that had come from the girl's tent, but he was too busy to follow up on it. He was busy making a new seal. He had been told to share the tent with Kakashi and Shino, because the other two would likely try to rip him to shreds in their sleep if they were in his tent. _Man, what are their problems. They can't even get over the fact that I graduated? I mean, seriously. They don't even know about the fox and they hate me. I don't know anyone else who hates me except for the sake of the fox. Just those losers and maybe that Ino girl. The other people are cool enough… KUSO!_ Naruto had messed up again. He crumpled the nearly completed seal into a ball and threw it over his shoulder. It hit Kakashi in the head, waking him up.

"What, what. I'm up, ok. My watch?"

"Oh, sorry Kakashi-sensei. No, not your watch yet."

"Damn it." Kakashi checked the time and found that he still had an hour until his watch. It was almost midnight. He glanced over at Naruto who was engrossed in making very artistic drawings on chakra conducting paper. He picked up the piece that had hit him in the head and uncrumpled it. What he saw made his one visible eye go wide. It was an unfinished seal, but the design was almost exactly like his previous sensei's…

"Naruto… what is this."

"I can't tell."

"It looks like a seal, but…"

"It is."

"This seal… what do you plan to do with it?" Naruto could tell that he wasn't going to get away without telling Kakashi.

"I am making it for a jutsu I am working on."

"Mind telling me the name?"

"… Promise not to tell anyone?"

"Yeah."

"Hiraishin." Kakashi stared at the boy's back as he continued his seal making.

"Hiraishin…"

"Hai."

"The Fourth's…"

"Hai."

"How did…"

"You heard about the incident when Mizuki tried to steal the forbidden scroll?"

"Hai."

"I was the one he tricked into getting it. Before he came for it I had learned the kage bunshin, Hinata had learned boiling geyser, and we had written this one down too."

"Wait, Hinata knows the Second's jutsu?"

"Yeah, she used it to get those ninja's today, remember?"

"Oh, so it isn't quite up to power yet."

"Right, she is working on it though. Eventually she will get it mastered, we work on our jutsus daily."

"Can you actually… use the Hiraishin?"

"Sure, why?"

"Well, no one who has ever tried to do it has ever actually been able to, or they died after accomplishing it once."

"Really? That must have been the part we didn't write down. But I can use it four times without depleting my chakra and go over twenty meters each time. Now, no offense Kakashi-sensei, but I really need to make a new seal after Sasuke ruined my last one."

Kakashi just sat there and stared at the blond kid's back. _From this angle it is almost like sensei is back from the dead. Could he be… no, they all died in the attack. No chance that he could be his son... more likely a descendent of the Yamanakas with that hair. But how the hell can he use that technique? I never even tried it because sensei told me I didn't have the chakra reserves for it. Only someone from a clan with extremely high chakra reserves could even think about using it, he said. But he would fly around the battlefield, using it hundreds of times. There must be some secret to it. I should keep my eye on this kid. Demon brat, my ass… this kid could become the best ninja this village has ever seen. Now, if only he could be friends with Sasuke…_

"Hey, Naruto."

"Yeah?"

"Here." Kakashi had fished a kunai out of his pouch, one he had never used once. It had three points instead of one and etched into the handle was a near invisible seal. Naruto stared at it.

"Hey, this is the type of kunai I ordered today. How did you get it?"

"My sensei gave me it before he died."

"So… wait… your sensei was…"

"Hai."

"Wow, that's cool sensei. Thanks for this, I'll give it back when we get back to town. I have a hundred on order right now and he said it would take a few weeks. And if this mission lasts that long then I can get them the second we get back home." Naruto flipped the kunai into the air, testing its feel and balance. It was perfect. Naruto smiled and then put in a special pouch on the inside of his other kunai pouch before going to sleep.

"Don't mention it."

* * *

AN: Enjoyed it? I tried to figure out a way that would allow Hinata to be able to see without every one knowing and also involving Naruto's jutsu. I figured that since chakra can transfer entire souls (Ino's jutsu) and also can read certain things unlike normal eyes (sharingan) I would make it so the jutsu she uses constatly on her headband transfers what the chakra courcing through it reads. Like a doujutsu, but not. Oh, and if you are wondering, Naruto is not going to be able to use Hiraishin for a long time, at the very earliest it might be used in the Naruto/Neji fight that will still happen. THAT IS THE EARLIEST! He has along way to go, mainly because there is a problem with it... the secret Kakashi refers to. Jiriya might shed some light onto it... Alright, next chapter will go through probably all or most of the rest of this mission. Stay tuned for chapter 5: The Definition of Shinobi


	6. Demon of the Mist

* * *

AN: I got a few complaints about giving Naruto the Hiraishin too early. Well, that's ok, I guess. He won't have it mastered until… hm… maybe when he gets back from the time skip. After all, I am going to follow the original story a while. No more hints about the story!!! Stop guessing!!! If you get it right, then I feel bad… Oh, I am working on two other fan fics at the same time as this one, but this one is still going to be updated on a near daily basis, unlike this last one. I plan to put up almost five updates of this one for every one of the others. Check them out! Or not… whatever.

AN2: So... I was fixing this chap up for errors and accidentally deleted it. here is Ch 5 v.2

* * *

Chapter 5: Demon of the Mist

* * *

Naruto awoke with difficulty, like he always did. Even when it was Hiashi banging down his door, Naruto always wanted to sleep. This morning he awoke to the sound of birds chirping. Shino had used a bug to wake him… again. He hated waking up with bug bites, but on a mission he wasn't going to complain. He knew he was a tough one to wake.

"I'm up, I'm up." Naruto climbed out of the tent ready to go with a yawn. Everyone else was eating breakfast, Naruto quickly put the tent away before joining them.

"So, what is the verdict?" Naruto stuffed a ration bar in his mouth. Kurenai looked his way, grimacing at his manners.

"What?"

"Are we going on with the mission or is team seven too chicken?"

"Yes, everyone has decided to continue with the mission."

"Good. Hey, Hinata? You ok?" Hinata was stumbling around trying to find her pack, which was on the ground a little bit away. She tripped over a rock, to Naruto's surprise. For some reason she must not have been using her jutsu. Then he saw what was wrong. She had forgotten to put on her headband in the morning. He was about to show off his speed and catch her in mid fall when she was caught, not by him, but by Kiba.

"Whoa there, fair lady, I think you should just sit down and let me take care of you."

"Kiba?" Hinata slightly blushed, though not for the same reason as if Naruto would have caught her.

"Hey, Kiba! Hinata is a ninja, and as such she is fully capable of taking care of herself!" Naruto was at her side in an instant, helping her stand up and get out of Kiba's arms despite his words. He handed her the headband and helped tie it around her face just above the nose, covering where her eyes would be. Kiba snorted. He walked back to the fire as Naruto made the effort of leading Hinata away to let her use the sight jutsu. When they were out of sight from the camp Hinata used her jutsu and turned to Naruto with a blush on her face.

"A…arigato, Naruto-kun."

"Huh? What for?"

"For… for standing up for me…" _and getting me out of Kiba's arms._

"Oh, don't mention it. I mean, you are strong. It wasn't like I wasn't just saying the truth. Besides, that Kiba just gets on my nerves…"

"A…arigato, anyway."

"Sure. I was worried there for a moment…"_ that Kiba was hitting on you…_

"What?" Hinata's blush deepened when she thought about Naruto being worried about her.

"Yeah… ano… I… I thought my jutsu had failed or something and you were back to being blind."_ Whew, how did I get out of that one?_

"Oh…" Hinata looked down in disappointment._ He was only worried that his jutsu had failed…_

"But then Kiba managed to catch you and I saw your headband on top of your pack. For a moment…"

"Hm?"

"For a moment I was worried that all my work was for nothing and I had failed to help you…" Naruto was looking at the ground when she tried to catch his face._ So he was worried about me?_

"Gomen…"

"For what?"

"For worrying you…"

"No, it isn't your fault!" _actually, it is mainly Kiba's…_

By then they had arrived back at camp to find everyone else ready to leave. Naruto shouldered his pack and helped Hinata get hers on, they still had a show to put on, and then they took the lead.

Days passed as they continued on the journey to wave. Three days in and the entire group was very stressed. Not with worrying about the mission, but with interteam strife. Team eight just didn't get along with team seven, with the exception of Kiba, who thought he got along perfectly well with Hinata. Needless to say, the feeling wasn't mutual. Hinata was tired of Kiba's not so subtle flirting. Naruto was sick of Sasuke and his pet fan girl. Shino was sick of everyone arguing. Kurenai and Kakashi were the only two who seemed to be immune to the whole affair. They stayed in the middle of the group and made sure no all out fist fights started between Naruto and Sasuke. Tazuna, the bridge builder, wasn't helping anything either. He had been making fun of the ninjas since they had started out. True, it was just in jest, but it was getting annoying. Then, one day, Naruto snapped.

"Hey, how are you two super lovebirds doing up there? Why don't you stay back here with us so we can make sure that all you are doing is holding hands?" Naruto and Hinata turned around to face the bridge builder with blushes on their faces. Hinata almost passed out. "Or would you rather stay up there and make-out and whatnot?" That DID make Hinata pass out in Naruto's arms. Naruto was not happy to say the least.

"Damn you, old man! We were up here so we could ignore your stupid comments. I was holding her hand because she's blind! You know that!"

"What use is a blind ninja, and a weak one at that? She only holds us back… just like Naruto." Sasuke had chimed in his two cents worth. And, sadly, those two cents overflowed Naruto's patience.

"That's IT!" Naruto pulled out a kunai and began running at the black haired ninja. Sasuke smirked before jumping into the air and doing his favorite hand signs. "Fire Style: Great Fire Ball!" Sasuke shot a large fireball towards Naruto who merely jumped over it. Naruto smirked at Sasuke, but found the instead of shock from seeing Naruto, he was staring at his fireball. The fireball was still traveling on its path, right towards the unconscious Hinata. Naruto quickly created two kage bunshins which slammed Sasuke into a tree. Naruto himself suddenly disappeared in a burst of speed and was instantly between the fireball and Hinata. He held his arms out as if trying to catch the approaching ball of fire. Then, instants before it hit him, he poured as much chakra into his hands as he could, acting purely on instinct along and a small voice in his head telling him what to do. The ball of fire touched his hands, but instead of engulfing him as it should have it slowed to a stop with only the tips of his fingers in the actual flame. But… damn it hurt like hell. Naruto pushed even more chakra into his hands. Then, without warning, the fireball disappeared, out of power. Naruto fell back and blew on his hands. Everyone but the unconscious Hinata just stared at Naruto as he put one hand in his mouth and waved the other in the air. Sasuke Uchiha looked like his eyes were about to come out of his head. Nothing had ever been able to stop his fireball technique, not even solid rock. It was his pride and joy. And this… dobe… had stopped it in his hands! The shadow clones holding him to the tree disappeared. Kakashi stood with his book at his side.

"Naruto, I thought you would just move Hinata out of the way. If I had known you were just going to stand there then I would have jumped in! What did you think you were doing?"

"Saving Hinata?"

"You could have picked her up and jumped out of the way."

"Um… yeah, I guess I didn't think of that in the one second I had before it hit her." Naruto picked Hinata up and leaned her against a tree. "Sasuke, don't you ever… ever say something like that again… or I will beat you so badly that you won't be eating solid food for years…"

"Hmph, like you could even do that, dobe." Sasuke kept up the tough guy act, but he was feeling a like worried at the moment about fighting someone who could stop his best jutsu by only burning his fingers.

"Yes, Sasuke-teme, I could. So leave her alone."

"Hmph." Sasuke looked away, but was suddenly slammed into a tree by Kakashi. Kakashi had Sasuke's neck in his hand and his feet were off the ground. This was the first time anyone, including Kurenai, had seen Kakashi lose his temper.

"Sasuke, either you will learn to be part of a team or you will die. What you just did there was irresponsible to the extreme, and if Naruto had not done what he did, Hinata could have been seriously hurt. I did not agree to be this team's jonin sensei so that you could FUCK around with your TEAMMATE'S LIVES! So either you find a way to work with the team you are assigned, or maybe you should rethink becoming a ninja." Kakashi dropped him to the ground as Hinata began to stir. She woke up with Naruto a few feet away from her, he had learned to keep his distance from her so as not to scare her when she woke up. That, of course, was not the reason she would pass out, but at least it helped her stay conscious.

"Ano… gomen…"

"Hinata, let's go." Naruto held out his hand and he helped her to her feet. Hinata blushed, not knowing that the hand she was holding was in pain from being burned. She wouldn't find out either, because only minutes later they were healed.

* * *

"So, this Wave Country place… is it pretty?"

"Well I think so. It is covered in mist a lot of the time, but that just gives it an air of mystery. I find that it is absolutely beautiful. The sea breeze, the wind in the trees, the light on the flowers through the mist…" Hinata sighed.

"Sorry, little girl. I wish you could see it."

"I bet it would be a beautiful place to live…"

"It sure will be once my bridge is built." Naruto gave a short chuckle. They were on a small boat and crossing the small straight that the bridge was crossing. It was indeed, mysterious. The mist flowed around them like it was alive, and they couldn't take their eyes off it.

"So, this bridge will liberate your village?" Sakura had spent most of her time focused on Sasuke, but she had paid attention to the important aspects of the mission.

"You bet! It is going to be the most super thing to happen to this village since… well for a long time…"

"This bridge won't fix a thing…" Everyone looked at Naruto, who was staring at the unfinished bridge. "If you build it, Gato will tear it down. Until your people actually decide to fight back against Gato then any change you can make will be undone." Shino agreed with a small nod. Even Sasuke realized how true Naruto's words were, though he didn't show it.

"You don't understand… one of us did try to rouse us to fight… he was killed for it."

"Did you fight?"

"No, he died in vain."

"He was a hero."

"What?"

"He died for what he believed in. His only mistake was to fight for people who wouldn't support him…"_ Like me… no, not quite… I have a few supporters. _Naruto looked over at Hinata.

"Yeah, kid. You are probably right on that one…"

* * *

"Hey, mister bridge builder guy, when are we going to get there?"

"Nearly there, nearly there." They had left the boat and were walking at a snails pace towards the town Tazuna lived in. It was peaceful, walking through the trees. Peaceful. Kurenai couldn't remember a time since she had become jonin when she had not had an enormous amount of stress. All was peaceful, that is, it was until Naruto decided to throw a kunai into a bush.

"Naruto! What the hell?"

"I heard something…" Suddenly a very frightened rabbit ran out of the brush. Instantly Kiba and Sakura burst into laughter.

"Naruto, maybe you should give him a break!"

"Yeah, he might be too much for you to handle."

"Hey, that was not what I heard!" Naruto was trying to convince them that he had heard a person, but the two just laughed. Shino, Hinata, the two jonin, and, ironically, Sasuke, were not laughing. Kiba stopped laughing a moment later when Akamaru growled in his ear. Each of them kept walking, three trusting Naruto's instincts and the other two trusting their own feeling that they were being watched. It was Hinata, with her superb hearing, that caught the sound of metal in the wind.

"Everyone, DOWN!" Hinata, Kakashi, and Kurenai all shouted at the same time. Hinata tackled Naruto to the ground without thinking. Kiba, Sakura, and Sasuke dived into the brush on the side of the path. Shino, the only one to keep his head in the group, pulled the man they were supposed to protect to the ground. A massive sword came spinning through the air, barely clearing Naruto's spiked hair as he laid on the ground. The sword came up and stuck into a tree. Naruto watched as a man appeared on it.

"Who do you think you are?" Naruto was on his feet as Hinata got up behind him. He would thank her later for saving him, but right now the man that had just tried to kill them was in front of them. Kakashi glared at the man. He seemed to know him.

"So… Momochi Zabuza. Long time, no see."

"Kakashi, the copycat of the leaf. And who is the pretty lady next to you? Red eyes, dark hair… you must be Kurenai Yuki, the genjutsu specialist of Konoha. And these children?"

"Are of no concern to you."

"I suppose it would just be too easy for you to just hand the old man over? We could avoid a whole lot of trouble and bloodshed."

"Not an option." Kakashi pulled up the side of his headband that had been covering one eye up till then, revealing an eye that was unlike any Naruto had seen. But he had heard of it in his studies. He knew what it was by description. After all, the eye was sort of his speciality.

"It's a sharingan eye… but, you aren't an Uchiha…"

"Naruto, stay back. This guy is way out of you league. He is nothing like anything you have ever faced before. This man… is a killer."

The group suddenly felt a killer intent roll off of the missing ninja. One so large it caused all of team seven to shake. Naruto was slightly effected, but not nearly as much as the others. Hinata, surprisingly, was hardly affected. Compared to when Naruto fought Mizuki, this was similar but not quite as dangerous. Shino didn't allow any feelings to show.

"Alright." Naruto and the rest of the genin backed up. Zabuza jumped from the tree, grabbing his sword as he went. He landed on the water of a lake next to them. Mist suddenly began raising up around the area.

"Too bad… I don't like killing defenseless children… but if that is what needs to be done." Zabuza had disappeared into the mist, now thick enough to allow the genin to barely see the backs of their instructors.

"8 ways." A voice came from everywhere at once.

"Liver… lungs… spine… clavical vein… jugular vein… brain… kidneys… heart…" Naruto drew a kunai, ready to fight.

"Which one should I go for?"

"Naruto-kun!" Naruto heard the cry instants after he felt the presence behind his back. He knew he had two choices. Jump, and get cleaved in half if the swordsman used a vertical swing, or duck and roll and hope Zabuza wasn't fast enough. But Naruto knew… he would be fast enough. Naruto spun around with his kunai in his hand and instinctively blocked the sword upon it. Zabuza's eyes went wide as his sword was stopped inches from the brat's neck with a little knife. He didn't have a chance to understand it, because Kakashi was instantly behind him with a kunai to his throat. Naruto was very glad Kakashi had given him that special kunai.

"Give up, it's over."

"Hehe, really? Do you think your little kids could stop me?" Zabuza laughed as another Zabuza appeared from the mist behind Kakashi and cut him in half along with the Zabuza that had been held off by Naruto.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto threw his kunai at the new intruder, but it was blocked. Naruto grinned at the mist ninja.

"What is so fun…" Zabuza had another kunai to his neck.

"This is." Kakashi was once again behind Zabuza. The mist ninja looked to where Kakashi should have laid in half, only to find a puddle of water._ He copied me in this mist?_

"Hilarious." Zabuza collapsed into another puddle of water. Kiba was getting annoyed.

"Hey, stop with the damn water clones!"

"Ok." The voice had come from behind him. Time seemed to slow down for Kiba as he looked back to find a sword in midswing at his body. _Shit!_ Zabuza, though, found his swing interrupted by a kick from Kurenai. She kicked him into a tree, where Kakashi punched him into the lake. Kakashi and Kurenai followed him, they walked out onto the lake searching for Zabuza. After the last few hits, Zabuza's mist had begun to clear and they could see the group behind them.

"Kakashi, where is he?"

"This guy is good… oh hell." Kakashi suddenly felt the water around his legs trap him. He couldn't move his feet an inch. Kurenai was the same.

"I guess it wasn't a good idea to attack a ninja in his element… man, do I feel like a genin."

"No, it wasn't." A bubble of water surrounded the two jonin instructors and sealed them in a water prison. Zabuza rose out of the water beside it, with his hand in it. "…in fact. It sealed your fates."

"Everyone, run!" Kakashi and Kurenai stared at their teams from inside the prison as two more Zabuza clones rose out of the water. "This guy is way beyond any of you!"

"Like hell he is! Hinata, Shino! Take the clones! Sakura, Kiba, protect the old man. Sasuke, you and me got the loser on the water."

"Hai."

"Be careful…"

Sasuke just snorted.

Naruto summoned a large amount of kage bunshins, filling most of the area. Each drew a kunai before jumping into the trees, leaving only five on the ground. Four of them jumped towards the water bunshins, but were destroyed before being able to get over them and to the main one. Three vanished into smoke, while one seemed to split in two, oozing out dark colored matter. At first, Kiba and Sakura thought he had been killed, but then realized that the stuff oozing out of Naruto was not blood. It was bugs. It took less then a second for the chakra devouring insects to completely cover the water bunshin and begin destroying the charka that held the water together. The second clone started to rush over to help its other, only to find a palm in his chest. Hinata had moved like lightning, showing off the speed she was capable of. The bunshin stalled for one second before coughing up water and collapsing into a puddle. The insect covered one was quick to follow.

Zabuza was surprised, to say the least, but what came next surprised him even more. A massive shurikin was coming towards him. He smirked at the obvious attack before snatching the speeding fuma shurikin out of the air. He was very surprised to find another ten smaller shurikin had been hiding in the shadow of the first._ Shit! _Zabuza jumped the second wave of shurikin, not caring that they had been obviously thrown at the height to force him to jump, with both hands full.

"Is that all you've got?"

"Is that all? Hell, no!" Zabuza turned to see the ten shurikin he had just dodged transform into ten Naruto's each held six kunai in their hands, except one who held a single, interesting kunai. They threw them at the same time, spread out so to make them harder to block or dodge. Zabuza used the shurikin in his hand to block most of them, keeping his hand in the water prison of Kakashi and Kurenai. As the last kunai was blocked, Zabuza heard whistling from his front. He spun his head back to face front and saw more then two hundred kunai and shurikin heading towards him._ The hell… the clones!_ Zabuza dropped the large shurikin in his hand and pulled his massive blade in his left hand. Its wide blade allowed him to block every kunai again.

"Stupid kids, thinking you could hurt me with such pathetic tools…"

"That wasn't the plan!" Zabuza once again, faced his back. Behind him, the last Naruto was still falling towards the water. The entire attack had lasted less then a few seconds. A kunai, flying silent compared to the others he had thrown, was nearly at him. Zabuza smirked once again, and was seconds away from catching it when a flash blinded him. He threw up his arms just in time to get an unbelievably strong punch in his gut. Zabuza bent over in pain and grabbed the one who had punched him. The blond haired brat looked drained. Zabuza threw him with strength enough to break the tree he hit.

"Damn it! What the hell did you just do?" Zabuza was still rubbing his eyes with one hand as he reached for his sword he had dropped.

"He just beat you…"

"Yeah, right. He barely hurt… me…" Zabuza suddenly remembered the water prison. He had a hand on his sword and another near his eyes to block the glare from the attack. Which one was holding the water prison jutsu up?_ DAMN!_ Zabuza jumped away just in time to dodge a kick from Kakashi. Now he stood once again facing off against the two jonin that had escaped his prison, only this time it was without the element of surprise..

"Lucky you… I released the prison." Kurenai was the one to reply.

"No, you were forced to release it. Face it, you just got outsmarted by a team of genin." Kurenai smiled and looked over to her team. What she saw, though, made her drop the smile. Hinata was trying to wake Naruto up. The force of the throw had broken the tree he hit in half, Kurenai hadn't thought of what it had actually done to the boy.

"I… I swear… if that boy…"

"If he what? Dies? Death is a natural part of life. He deserved it, too. If he couldn't see the difference in ability between us and actually decided to attack me…"

"That makes him an excellent ninja! He would do anything to protect people near him!"

"That makes him a fool. A ninja is a tool, no more then a kunai with intelligence. Emotions and ties to others are simply distractions."

Nearby, hiding in a tree, a young woman had a tear slide down her face. But no one would ever see it. Her mask was for more than concealing her identity…

"Damn you! That kid is more of a ninja then you could ever be. Kakashi, can we take him out now?" Kakashi's eye began to spin.

"Yes… let's…" Zabuza saw them tense for a charge, and began doing hand signs for one of his best jutsu. He was surprised to see Kurenai disappear and Kakashi begin his own hand signs._ What jutsu is that… it seems fami… what? How!_ Zabuza and Kakashi let out the name of their jutsu at the same time.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Blast!" Huge dragon heads formed from the water of the lake rose up behind the two ninja before crashing into each other in mirrored moves.

"I will…"

"not be copied like a monkey." Kakashi finished his thought for him.

"What the…"

"hell, it is almost like he can read my mind."

Zabuza's eyes widened. He needed to finish this before it grew anymore out of hand. He began his most powerful jutsu. But before he had finished it…

"Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu!" Kakashi had already finished it. An enormous tidal wave, swirling with currents strong enough to destroy trees and buildings, rose up at Kakashi's feet a threw him into a tree. But before he could even move tree limbs sprouted out from the tree, tying him to the trunk. He stared in horror as the jonin that had disappeared reappeared out of the tree above him with a kunai in hand. Before she had the chance to bring it down and pierce his throat, two needles came from no where and did the job for her. The genjutsu she was using ended with the life of the one she used it on and she immediately went to protect her team from the newcomer. Kakashi also made it to land, just as a masked ninja appeared beneath the shoulder of the falling Zabuza.

"A hunter nin…"

"Indeed… I have been hunting this missing nin for some time…" Kakashi stood there, still with his eye exposed.

"I must leave now… thank you for your assistance." Kakashi and Kurenai glared at the ninja as, presumably a he, disappeared in a whirling of leafs.

"That's not good…" Kakashi pulled his eye cover down before collapsing to the ground. Unlike Zabuza, though, Kurenai did not catch him. He face planted the dirt and passed out from chakra exhaustion while the others tended to Naruto.

"Kurenai-sensei, w…will he be alright?" Hinata was beside herself with worry, she had been trying to wake Naruto up for minutes, but couldn't even tell with all of the fighting if he was still alive. He had almost been washed away in the flood caused by Kakashi. Kurenai checked his wounds for anything life threatening. Surprisingly, Naruto appeared completely unhurt. He didn't even have a bruise on his back from where he had smashed a tree in half.

"Hinata, he will be fine. Sasuke, Kiba, carry Kakashi. Shino, you take Naruto. Tazuna… lead the way."

There was a lot on everyone's minds as they walked through the forest. Shino was slightly worried about his friend, but had been both proud of him and annoyed by him when he had used that jutsu. He had been an observer and the one to carry Naruto to the hospital after he used that jutsu the first time. Naruto was probably completely drained of chakra after his first attempt at the moving target. _It was a great plan, with even better execution, but he really shouldn't be so reckless…_

Hinata was walking right behind Shino and making sure that Naruto arrived without falling. It wasn't that she didn't trust Shino… but she felt she might as well be better safe then sorry. She had seen Naruto's jutsu… and was surprised by it. She had not known he had already gotten a kunai that could do it. She also had not known he had ever done it on a moving object… in fact, she was sure he had never done it. She was smiling as she walked, knowing Naruto had surpassed himself again and was one step closer to his goal.

Kiba and Sasuke were grumbling about carrying the unconscious Kakashi. Sasuke had been downright surprised by the entire fight. When Kakashi had revealed a sharingan eye, he had had begun thinking about it. He would try to find out why he had one later. Naruto was the main reason he was surprised. A jutsu that instantly teleported in a flash of light? If… no… when he got his sharingan THAT jutsu would be the first he tried to copy. And… as hard as it was to admit it… Naruto's plan had worked. It had worked perfectly and they had almost not shared a word about how to do it. Sasuke had just known what to do with the fuma and ten small shurikin. It was almost frightening to the Uchiha how connected he was… how similar he was… to the dobe.

Kiba was angry that he hadn't gotten to fight, and was definately jealous of the way Hinata had worried over Naruto. _Why can't I be the almost dead one and she was the one fawning over me… wait…_

Sakura was walking next to Tazuna. She had come to see the other team in a new light. The way Hinata and Shino had taken out those water clones had been amazing. Shino was powerful… albeit in a very creepy way… and Hinata was easily a match for any other ninja she had seen her age. The pure speed of her attack had been amazing. And Naruto… wow… talk about cool! Not as cool as Sasuke, though…

* * *

AN: I AM SOOOO SORRY for the wait for this update. I had a serious case of writer's… um… not writer's block… more like writer's-desire-to-lead-the-story-in-the-right-direction-yet-keep-it-close-to-canon? Yeah… like that. AND…. To top off disappointments… this is a shorter chapter then normal because I wanted to get it to ya fast. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. It won't happen again… at least… maybe this next chapter will be tough for me too, I never like the flow of the mission. But after that, chunin exams, I already know how I am going to play this. Oh yeah. So read and review, please. I love reviews. If I get more then fifteen in a chapter I work double time to post the next… maybe… whatever. So, stay tuned for what I have planned for Zabuza, Haku(Who I always thought was female… even after she said she was a guy and therefore she will be female in this fic) Naruto and Sasuke's relationship (ewww… not like that), Hinata and Naruto's relationship (ah yeah, like that), Kiba and Hinata's relationship( I hope she kills him), and Sakura in general. LOTS COMING UP! ENJOY!!!


	7. Friends, Foes, and the Shinobi Way

AN: Alright… so 15 reviews in… um… less then 24 hours… ROCK ON!!! So, I began writing this while I should be studying for a midterm… I am bad. I finished the chapter after I took and failed said midterm... damn it... time for pizza, comfort food.

Chapter 6: Friends, Foes, and the Shinobi Way

* * *

"Damn it! Not again…" Naruto fell flat on his butt once more. _Damn this tree. Damn Kakashi. Damn Sakura and Shino and… ok, not Hinata. But why do they walk straight up the tree in one or two tries and I have been stuck here all stinking day!_ Naruto glanced up at the marks he had made by a kunai. Running up trees was difficult… but he was making progress. There were countless gashes only about six feet up the tree. From there the marks had increased constantly by a foot each time. He had made it up to thirty feet before he stalled again. It was as if he had hit a glass ceiling. Even the Uchiha was beating him! This wouldn't do.

Hinata was taking a nap, or that's what it looked like, to recover chakra. She had made it all the way up a tree the second time she tried. Being a Hyuga had given her a natural control over her chakra pool. That, combined with her uncanny ability to channel chakra anywhere in her body with ease, another Hyuga trait, had allowed her to finish early. She had worked on the Second's famous water jutsu for hours after that, managing to produce a rather large geyser with the aid of a nearby lake. Out of chakra, mostly, she had sat against a tree and tried to get some sleep. But the sleep never came.

Instead, she was drawn into watching Naruto's endeavors. She watched him fall over and over and over… it was disheartening as well as inspiring. On one hand, the boy she looked up to as being her guardian angel was failing at something for the first time that she knew of. On the other hand, he kept getting up and trying, over and over and over. Hinata smiled at this thought. Not even falling a hundred times, or a hundred million times, would keep Naruto down. She decided to try to help.

Naruto had fallen short of his previous marks on his last run. Now he was lying on his back and staring at the clouds and tree tops._ Man… who thought climbing trees would be this hard. I like it when I can just use massive amounts of chakra, not this small controlled amount. But… if I don't get this down then I will be at a severer disadvantage later when I try to get Hokage. No, I must learn this and every other thing that I can possibly do._ Above his head, blocking his view of a cloud, was Hinata's head. A smile popped onto Naruto's face. Only a day before he had woken up to that same face.

* * *

"_Naruto-kun… he hasn't woken up yet…"_

"_Hinata, just rest. Here, eat something. You can't just stay by his side until he recovers."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Well… I guess you could… but at least eat something."_

"_Hai…" Hinata picked up a small rice ball and nibbled on it. Naruto had been unconscious for hours now. Kurenai sat next to her, waiting for the genin to wake up from a severe case of chakra depletion. Kurenai had said it would take a normal person a week to be on their feet. Kakashi, also suffering from the same fate, reinforced the idea by trying to sit up and passing out in the process. Naruto seemed slightly better then before, going from an unnatural sleep to regular sleep, but Hinata was still worried. She hadn't even come down to eat dinner with their gracious hosts, Tsunami and Tazuna. Apparently Tsunami's son was also around, but wasn't exactly thrilled at their presence. Hinata had just stayed by Naruto's side, waiting for him to awaken so she could… so she could do what?_

_Why am I really doing this? Is it because I lo… no… I know I have a crush on him, but isn't love a bit too… strong of a word? Hinata looked down upon the peaceful face of Naruto. Her Naruto-kun. Hinata smiled a little and blushed at her thoughts. Love wasn't too strong of a word for what she felt. It was almost too weak. She had surprised herself by jumping onto Naruto to make sure he wasn't hit by the sword. If it hadn't been a battle, she knew she would have passed out. But..._

"_Hinata, are you ok? You are all red in the face… are you choking on your abnormally small bites of rice?" Kurenai knew exactly what was going on in the mind of the young female._

"_I… I am ok, sensei…"_

"_No, you aren't. In fact, I am positive that you are sick."_

"_W…what?"_

"_Yes, the symptoms are very obvious. I am surprised no one has seen it before now."_

"_Wh…what is wrong, sensei?"_

"_You appear to have contracted a very, very dangerous disease. It looks like you will never recover. I would even say that in your case it is... terminal"_

"_Nani?" Hinata was shocked, to say the least._

"_Hai, this is the most obvious case of love sickness I have seen in all my years as a shinobi. Sorry, but there is no cure." Kurenai started laughing as Hinata went from terribly frightened to terribly embarrassed._

"_Sensei… that wasn't very nice…"_

"_No, it probably wasn't, but it is very true. So… have you told him?"_

"_N…No…"_

"_Why?"_

"_I… I don't know… what he thinks of me… if I am just a friend or… you know…"_

"_Well, you won't know until you ask. Wait as long as you like, it isn't like shinobi just up and die on missions every die."_

"_S… sensei!"_

"_Yeah, that was probably cruel, too. But this is coming from personal experience. In our line of work, the next meal has a large chance of being your last. But… on the other hand… being distracted in a battle would also be a very bad thing. If telling Naruto your feeling distracted him in battle that could bring his death faster. I would suggest telling after the mission, Hinata."_

"_I… I will think about it…"_

"_What are ya going to think about, Hinata?" Naruto was sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Hinata went from staring at her hands to blushing a dozen shades of red before sticking to the most red shade she could find. _

"_N… Naruto-kun! Y…your ok!" _

"_Sure, why not. I'm hungry." Hinata almost threw her half eaten rice ball at him. "Um… Ok!" Naruto was still half out of it, but anything was better then nothing._

"_Thanks Hinata! Hey, before I forget, thanks for the save when the guy threw his sword."_

"_A…A…Arigato, N...Naruto-kun." She had not stopped blushing, and her vision was getting blurry due to all of the blood rushing to her head. Her vision slowly went from blurry to black. Naruto soon found an unconscious girl's face on his stomach._

"_Hinata?"_

"_Naruto, I think she is just tired. She stayed by your side the entire time you were asleep."_

"_Really? I'll thank her later." Why would she do that?_

* * *

"Hey, Hinata. How are you doing?" Naruto smiled up at the girl. He still had no idea why she would do that. But, after she woke up, he had gotten back to training. Apparently he didn't need a week to recover. In fact, he felt exactly like any other day. And then they had to go and try to teach how to climb trees with chakra. Sure, Naruto had been raised in a Hyuga family and had been taught from birth that chakra control was next to cleanliness, and therefore next to godliness, but Naruto had never claimed to be a god, or clean for that matter. Hiashi had given him some leeway, seeing how he had told Naruto that he had a lot of chakra, and it would therefore be difficult to control. So, here he was, trying desperately to catch up to the teme who had managed to reach half way up his tree while Naruto was barely over a quarter of the way.

"N…Naruto-kun… do you want… m…me… to h…help?" She was blushing uncontrollably, but Naruto was oblivious to the fact.

"Huh? If you want to, that would be great. Hey, teme!" Sasuke looked over from his own seat on the ground. "Hinata is going to tell us how she did it!" Sasuke just laid back and didn't act like he was going to get up, but after a second he jumped to his feet, put his hands in his pockets, and walked over and had a seat again.

"W…well, the trick is to get a good feeling for how the chakra moves on your feet… there are tenketsu points which are the points that chakra comes out of. Ten of them are in you feet. They are in both the heel and ball of your feet, but not in the arch. So, when running up the tree you need to use both of those. Don't just use your toes…" Naruto sighed. So she had seen him falling. "And don't just use the balls of your feet either. You should start by trying to walk up the tree keeping one foot on at a time. Then, when you can reach the tree walking, work on the running…" Hinata blushed again when she saw that Naruto was staring at her and nodding intently. Sasuke had been laying back at not looking at her, but she could tell he had heard her.

"Hey, what is this going on here? A pep talk? Why didn't you invite me?" Up walked the last member of the teams who couldn't yet tree climb, Kiba.

"You weren't around."

"I was right over there!"

"Oh… oops." Naruto smiled. He really didn't want Kiba anywhere around Hinata. Sure, he wasn't a bad ninja at all, but he was annoying and was trying to steal… wait…

"Hey, Hinata. What did you tell them? I want to hear it too…"

"Ano… I… just that they should try it using the entire foot, not just one part…"

"Huh? Whatever… I'm done for the day. Want to walk back to the house with me, Hinata?" Naruto was very good at containing his anger, but Kiba was pushing a little too hard…

_But… why am I even getting mad? This makes very little sense… first I said "steal" in my mind. Hinata isn't "mine" to begin with. And then I get angry at him asking to walk with her? I… am really screwed up._

"Ano… I… I am going to stay here a while longer…"

"Huh? Ok, whatever." Kiba walked off towards Tazuna's house. Hinata went back to her tree and Naruto got back to his feet.

"Thanks, Hinata." Naruto once again channeled chakra into his feet, this time focusing on spreading the chakra out from all of his tenketsu to create an even flow of chakra all over the foot. Then he took a foot and put it against the tree. He felt it adhere… better then before. Naruto then swung his other leg up and stuck it to the tree as well. Instead of sprinting with all his might up the tree, hoping his concentration would last, he was just holding there. He was parallel to the ground with his eyes closed, focusing on merely staying connected to the tree. Then he started walking. He kept his eyes closed as he focused on just moving one foot at a time in short steps, always keeping one foot attached to the tree. He continued like this for minutes.

"Naruto-kun! Stop!" Naruto opened his eyes to find… nothing. If he had attempted another step he would have met air. In fact, he didn't understand what he was seeing. Then he realized where he was. About one hundred feet up and upside-down on a tree limb that had been in his way. The limb was bent down so Naruto was actually looking down at a very worried Hinata and what he thought was Kurenai-sensei.

"Hey, guys. Looks like I got the hang of walking." Naruto smiled. Now how to get down. Naruto pulled out the kunai Kakashi gave him and threw it into the ground at Hinata's feet. Suddenly there was a flash of light and Naruto was in front of them. He was breathing very hard, though.

"N…Naruto-kun… are you ok?"

"What the hell do you think you were doing, Naruto? Walking up a tree with your eyes closed? Are you asking to get killed?"

"Nope." Naruto grinned at her before turning to Hinata. "Thanks again, Hinata. That really worked! Now I can try with my eyes open and faster!" Naruto turned back to the tree and started running. He remembered to use his entire foot, not just one part. He sprinted up the tree much faster then Kurenai had while showing them how. Ten feet, twenty feet, thirty feet, fifty feet. Naruto kept going until he reached the tip of the tree, a height of well over one hundred feet. He stood there for a second, using chakra to maintain balance on the thin trunk of the top. A few trees over he saw Sasuke Uchiha, also gasping for breath and at the top of his own tree.

"Hey, Sasuke. Nice job."

"S…sure."

"You know… we don't need to be enemies."

"…"

"I heard that your clan was wiped out… sorry to hear that…"

"What would you know about it, dobe?"

"I lost my family in the Kyuubi attack. I was raised with the Hyuga's, though most of them didn't like me one bit. My adopted mother died when I was five. My… friend… Hinata lost her eyes when she was three… but, you know what?"

"What?"

"At least I have friends. Even if I only have two… you should try it some time. Have friends. Heck, stop making fun of Hinata and I would be your friend." Sasuke stared at him.

"Why would I want to be friends with a dobe?"

"Because… what is life without friends? What would a life be like without friends? It would be so… lonely and full of pain. I might not have some fancy doujutsu like the sharingan or byakugan, but I can see that you have both of those feelings a plenty."

"I need them."

"Why? You can't grow stronger while dwelling on your pain. You won't truly get stronger until you get on with your life. Do you think Hinata has been focusing on revenge for the man who took her eyes? Hatred breeds more hatred, never peace. Okaa-san told me that a long time ago." Something in Naruto's words had affected Sasuke. Sasuke was still staring at him, but it was almost a look of shock.

"…No, I need hate to get stronger…"

"No, hate makes you weak."

"Hate is what brought my clan to its death!"

"Hate brings everything to death!" They stared at each other in the twilight before night. The sun setting behind them. "All that hate can do is kill. A person consumed by hatred will eventually kill himself with it! And even if it doesn't, it will eat away at their insides till they can't feel anymore! I've seen it, Sasuke. Hate turns good people into... into monsters."

"But…"

"Sasuke-teme, if this dobe knows one thing, it is that the only thing that is worth fighting for has nothing to do with hate. The only thing worth fighting for is making others happy. I… I'll see ya back at the house." With that, Naruto jumped down towards the ground, using chakra to slow him down every time he brushed against a tree limb. He hit the ground pretty hard, but managed to stand. Hinata was waiting for him with Kurenai.

"Naruto, that was pretty impressive."

"G…Good job, N…Naruto-kun."

"Thanks, Hinata…" Naruto looked back up at the top of the tree. He was wondering whether Sasuke would take him up on his offer…

* * *

The next five days passed by rather quickly. Naruto made sure he had mastered the tree climbing by doing it even more the next day. Then he secluded himself from the others, except Hinata, of course. They practiced using their jutsu. Hinata was managing to get a rather large stream of semi-hot water to come out of the ground. Naruto complimented her on it, but he was still having trouble with his own jutsu. He had tried use it again on the moving kunai and had, once again, passed out on the completion of it. Naruto had no way to describe it. It felt like there was too much… resistance to him when he went to the seal. Like he was pulling himself to the seal through thick liquid. According to notes and Kakashi's descriptions of his sensei's words, the seal should have been pulling him to it. It didn't slow him down, but it made him use way too much chakra. He could activate the jutsu easily, but while it was going on it drained nearly all of his chakra. He could still do it a few times on stationary targets, but even once while moving was all he had, no matter when he used it. It felt like something was out of place…

Kiba had finally gotten a hang of climbing the trees, though Naruto could swear he was using claws as much as chakra. Hinata had gotten fed up with his constant attention at the house, which was one of the reasons she would sneak off to train with Naruto every morning. The other reason was obvious… to everyone except Kiba and Naruto apparently. Kakashi was almost completely recovered, but said he needed one more night to rest up. Naruto thought he just wanted another day with Tsunami and Kurenai taking care of him. Naruto had to admit that their gracious host was a nice lady. Much nicer then the bridge builder or the little kid, Inari. Naruto had heard his sob story about half way though the week. Apparently, the guy Tazuna had been talking about in the boat was Inari's adopted father. Now Inari could care less about anyone who thought they were heroes. Naruto had given him a strong talk that night. He was sorry that he had had to make the boy cry, but the kid was confused. His dad died a hero and Inari couldn't accept that some heroes… die.

Sasuke Uchiha had stopped bothering him or Hinata. In fact, whenever he talked to Naruto, which wasn't often, he still called him a dobe. But… the term was not as angry or mean as before. Naruto continued to call him a teme, but he knew that he was acting less like one. Heck, Sasuke had even criticized Kiba when Kiba had tried to sneak up on Hinata. And he hadn't mentioned Hinata being "blind", which was defiantly a plus in Naruto's book. Slowly, Sasuke was becoming less of a jerk. Not that he still wasn't a jerk, just less of one.

Shino was acting weird. Apparently he had found some rare bug that wasn't around Konoha and was spending all of his free time trying to catch enough to breed his own colony at home. It was strange to see Shino running around like lunatic searching under every leaf for bugs. Especially when he had a smile on his face. Naruto had caught up with him as he was apparently communicating with one, and it had been darn right creepy to see the Aburame look up from the insect on his hand with a huge smile on his face and speek.

"He enjoys sleeping and eating flesh! Isn't that amazing?"

Naruto vowed to never follow Shino on a bug hunt again.

Sakura had apparently become friends with Hinata, though not great ones. Sakura was infatuated with Sasuke, anyone could see that. Hinata couldn't see why, but never said it. Still, they had a lot in common. Both liked boys who either didn't care, or had no idea that they liked them… like that. When Hinata and Naruto would come back to the house, usually with Hinata helping Naruto walk, Sakura would greet her and help get Naruto to a bed. Apparently she had had a change of heart after Naruto had "helped Sasuke" take on Zabuza. Hinata rolled invisible eyes at the girl whenever she went on about Sasuke, but smiled, knowing that Sakura was one of her only friends who was a girl.

Now it was near midnight and Naruto was still training. He had stopped his Hiraishin training for the day and focused on doing things with his clones. So far he could do… almost nothing. He had worked out some ways to trick people using them, but over all they were just clones that were solid until hit. He had done one great thing, though. He had made a hundred bunshins and then had them all throw shurikin at a target, but he had them throw them so shurikin would box in a target before the actual shurikin would hit. He called it "Shurikin wave". It would force a target to block, containing them to a certain space for a small amount of time. He was quite proud of it. Or had been until Kurenai mentioned that a simple substitution would evade it.

Back to the drawing board.

Hinata had gone back after a lot of pushing by Naruto. She hadn't wanted to leave him alone, but he said he wanted to try something that might be dangerous to the surrounding area. She would tell them that Naruto had guided her back and then left again. He was practicing taijutsu by fighting with shadow clones, but every once and a while he would do some ninjutsu to make sure he was working on chakra as well. He didn't know many, but he would still use it every few minutes. A simple kage bunshin to replenish his supply of enemies, a henge to practice fighting under disguise, or maybe creating regular bunshins to confuse him mixed in with the rest of his kage bunshins.

It was during that training that he was knocked out by one of his bunshins. He hadn't noticed his chakra getting low, and was too tired to move out of the way of his bunshin. It gave out a simple oops before disappearing into a cloud of smoke along with the rest of his enemies. Naruto fell into a restless sleep.

Naruto knew he was having a dream, but it was too real for comfort. He was standing in a foot of bad smelling water in a long hallway. The hallway had many doors, each closed, with leaking pipes traveling along the ceiling. He was walking down the hallway. The doors were all different. Some as plain as a sheet of parchment, while others were giant ornate wooden ones. Naruto always enjoyed seeing the beautiful ones, though he couldn't imagine why. He reached the end of the hall way after a short amount of time, coming into a huge camber. The chamber was massive, but at what Naruto assumed was the halfway point stood a massive door made of ornate iron. It was incredibly decorated, but unlike the doors in the hall way, this one gave off a sense of dread in Naruto. The door had no handle or bar to keep it closed, but a small piece of paper with the kanji for "seal" was stuck across the two doors. Naruto just stood there, staring at the gate. It was something important and somehow gave Naruto a sense of happiness, but it also gave off a sense of despair. It was a confusing time, but it ended soon after. Naruto sensed that he was not the only person… thing in the room. Something stirred beyond the great gate. Naruto suddenly saw, from beyond the gate, two massive red slitted eyes opened and faced towards him. They crinkled up in what could be seen as an expression of… happiness? Naruto almost covered his ears as a massive voice filled the room.

"**So… the brat has finally come to visit. You would think a gracious host would pay more attention to their guest…"**

"W…Who are you?" Naruto could feel raw power flowing out of the eyes in front of him. It wasn't evil or good, but just pure power.

"**Don't you know anything, child? Who else would be living inside of you?"**

"The… the Kyuubi no kitsune…"

"**Bingo, kit. Happy to see me?"**

"No, you killed my parents!"

"**Yeah, I did." **The fox was rather nonchalant about it.

"And a lot of others, and so many people hate me because of you!"

"**Yeah, they do."**

"So tell me again why I should be happy?"

"**Because I can help you."**

"What?"

"**I was sealed inside of you by the Fourth Hokage. In my defeat, he made me promise to aid you."**

"How can you help me?"

"**FOOL!" Enormous waves of pure power came flowing out of the cage and Naruto fell to his knees in the water. "I AM THE KYUUBI NO KITSUNE!_ I AM POWER_!" The power slowly returned to the lesser amount he had given off before. "How can I help you? What can a being of near infinite power give? What answer would you expect?"**

"Power?"

**"Genius, pure genius."**

"Whatever, I don't trust you."

The beast snorted.

**"That won't matter. You'll come to me eventually. Eventually you will either come to me or die."**

"Is that a threat?" Naruto could feel the world begin to shift. He was waking up.

**"No... It's fact."**

* * *

Naruto woke up to the feeling of someone shaking his shoulder.

"Hinata… five more minutes…"

"Hey, are you ok?" Naruto was suddenly wide awake. That was not Hinata. He opened his eyes to find a long haired girl kneeling over him. He was instantly sitting up and staring at her. He hadn't seen her around the town, though he hadn't seen much of it anyway. But something about this girl seemed familiar.

"What were you doing out here?" The girl seemed nice enough. She looked to be just a little older then him. Dark hair flowed down her back and she smiled warmly at him.

"Wha… I… I was training!"

"Training? You look pretty strong to me…" Was she hitting on him? Naruto was slightly confused.

"You bet I am! But I still need to get stronger. I am a ninja and one day I will be the best ninja in my village. The Hokage."

"That _is_ interesting…"

"What's your name, miss?"

"Hm? My name is Haku. And you?"

"Naruto Uzumaki! Remember it, one day you'll be able to say, "I once met Naruto Uzumaki!"

"Hmm… ok, I will."

"So, what were you doing out here?"

"Picking herbs. I come here every once and a while."

"That's neat!"

"So… who is Hinata?"

"Huh?"

"I heard her name in your sleep, who is she."

"She is my best friend. I was raised by her parents. She is a great ninja, even though she is blind."

"Blind?"

"Yeah, she had her eyes stolen when she was three." Haku was looking at him in a weird way. Naruto was starting to get weirded out. Her face was only inches away from Naruto.

"Do you… have a girlfriend?"

"NANI?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Ano… uh… kinda?"

"What does "kinda" mean?"

"Um… well… you see…" Haku gave a sigh and sat back on her knees. Naruto breathed a little.

"I understand. Oh, well. Maybe I will see you later."

"Yeah, sure." Haku got up to walk away. As she left, Naruto noticed that she seemed to sway her hips a little more then necessary. She stopped and turned around.

"Oh, before I go, I want to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"You're cute." Naruto's jaw came unhinged at that comment. Haku just smiled and walked away. Sasuke passed by her on her way out of the clearing.

"Hey, dobe. What are you doing out here? And who was that? You aren't cheating on that Hinata girl, are you?"

"NANI? No, I fell asleep training and when I woke up, she was here getting herbs, or something…"

"That's it?"

"She told me I was cute…"

"Well, that's one more person who likes you and is blind."

"Teme!"

"Dobe."

* * *

Naruto left Sasuke to his training, something with fire jutsu, and went back to find a very worried Hinata. He assured her that he was fine, and then they left to go practice again. This time, though, Naruto was distracted by what a rather pretty girl had told him… and what she had done with her hips as she had walked away…

"N…Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah, Hinata?"

"Are… are you ok?"

"Oh, yeah. Just thinking."

"W…What about?" Hinata, being his best friend, was probably the only person he would tell about the incident in the morning. Naruto had no idea what a normal persons reaction would be, but Hinata's sure wasn't positive. In fact, the story seemed to have ruined her day. She had called it quits earlier then usual, leaving Naruto to train again. With no one around to help him keep track, he soon found himself stumbling back into the house suffering from chakra depletion… again. He fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed, not noticing that one young girl was still awake.

Hinata had been trying very, very hard to not start crying. The way Naruto had gone on about how a pretty girl had told him he was cute, and the "weird way she swung her hips". Hinata couldn't think straight. SHE was the one who was supposed to tell him he was cute. SHE was the one who he was supposed to watch swing her hips… which she had never done, nor knew how to do. Kurenai found the young girl outside training at midnight, not training ninja skills… trying to learn how to correctly swing her hips. Kurenai hid in the shadows, directly under Kakashi.

"Kurenai, it's ok. I am watching over her."

"No, I want to watch."

"So… what is she doing?"

"You can't tell?"

"She is… walking?"

"She is trying to swing her hips like… you know… one of those women in your stupid books."

"Oh. That is… interesting."

"Yeah, I would say so. I haven't heard anything that would set something like this off…"

"You know, Sasuke said that he found Naruto this morning talking to a girl."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and he said Naruto had told him that she had said…"

"Sort of round about…"

"That he was cute."

"Oh! Oh… so that is why. I bet Naruto, the oblivious kid he is, told Hinata all about it. And now…"

"She wants to get his attention, too?"

"Right."

"Kurenai, there is something I want to ask you about Hinata."

"No, she isn't blind."

"I thought so…"

"But it is true that she has no eyes."

"I am not following you…"

"Naruto, the crazy kid he is, developed a jutsu that allows her to see normally with her headband. Now, I am trusting you not to tell your students this."

"On my word as a ninja."

"Good. You know, she is also in love with Naruto."

"Yeah, like I could miss that."

"Well…"

"Give me a little credit, Kurenai."

"Maybe a little… I am going to talk to her."

"Give her the old, woman to woman talk, eh? Compare breast sizes and such?"

Hinata suddenly turned around in mid swing when she heard something fall out of a tree.

"Who's there?" Kurenai stepped out of the bushes.

"Just me, Hinata. How are you?"

"Ano… I…"

"You know, just because he sees another pretty girl doesn't mean he doesn't like you."

"But…"

"And I don't even think it is possible for you to swing your hips, so stop. You look ridiculous."

"Ano…"

"Now, stop that. You love the man, don't you?"

"Um…"

"Hinata…" Kurenai bent down so she was eye to eye with the young woman. "Guys are stupid. It is in their nature. Just as it in our nature to naturally take offense to their stupidity. Now, Naruto there probably thought he was just explaining to you something that happened to him. He wasn't inferring that you weren't pretty. He wasn't saying he likes the way she swings her hips. He was merely saying that he had a weird experience. Now, snap out of it. You have known the boy since you were born, right?"

"H…Hai…"

"Then straighten up! You don't need to go right out there and yell "I love you!" to the kid, but show him that the girl swinging her hips has nothing on you."

"Hai."

"Now go to bed. Tazuna thinks they are almost done with the bridge. And remember what Kakashi said. Chances are that Zabuza and his accomplice are still out there. You need your sleep."

"Hai."

Hinata walked inside feeling much better. When she was inside, Kakashi walked out of the bushes rubbing his head.

"Kurenai, next time you hit me, make sure I don't hit a rock."

"What, you look fine to me."

"I was passed out for a while."

"That's what I wanted. After all, we didn't want you staring while we compared our breasts." Kurenai walked inside barely controlling her laughter. Kakashi's one visible eye looked like it filled the entire space of face his masked showed. He sunk to his knees and wept at his misfortune.

AN: I had actually intended for this chapter to finish the land of the waves, but I decided that this would be the perfect time for some character development. Naruto… how can you be so right and yet, so stupid. Oh well… thanks for all of the reviews. I think I am taking the story the way I want it to. After all, why would Naruto care if Sasuke left if they weren't close? I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you, all. The next chapter I post will be the last one I post until I post on more on Chaos, my other fan fic, and then I will be back to this one. I am excited for both of my fan fics at this time. I have a story I want to tell for both and both are getting semi good reviews, so I am encouraged to continue. Thanks for all the reading and reviewing and keep it up, please.


	8. The Fog Lifts

AN: 100 Reviews, awesome. Hazzah. I appreciate them all. There were a few I had to say something about before the next chapter starts. I have no intention of bringing Haku, if she survives, into Naru/Hina. Sorry, no harems today. Enjoy anyway. Sorry for the week long wait, I had no free time in the weekend. I want to update every Saturday on this one, if not more, and maybe every two weeks for my other two. Chaos storyline is going good in my head. I think I have enough to write my first actual chapter. Ok, well here is the conclusion to the land of the waves mission. ENJOY!!!

Chapter 7: The Fog Lifts...

* * *

The next morning came as well as any other morning. Naruto, though, was immovable. Even when Hinata tried to wake him up, all that happened was her passing out after being caught in a hug while Naruto slept. She was pulled from his grip by Kurenai before they all decided to head to the bridge.

It was a perfectly beautiful day. All of the villagers they passed smiled and gave them waves, Hinata giggled a little at the irony. Waves in the land of waves. No one tried to pickpocket them, surprisingly. The sun shined down in the rare, cloudless sky. Even Hinata was smiling, which almost never happened when Naruto wasn't around. She walked holding Shino's hand. It was kind of awkward, considering that every once and a while an insect would scuttle across or between their hands. Hinata would almost jump each time one did, but never let go of Shino's hand. She knew that Shino couldn't help it if a few of his thousands of bugs went on what she assumed was a daily path. She figured it would probably hurt his feelings if she drew away just because of his bugs. Besides, she stayed with Naruto even though he had a demon inside of him, why shouldn't she be able to be a good teammate and friend to Shino?

Kurenai led the way to the bridge after Kakashi mentioned something that Kiba barely overheard as "having another woman to woman talk sometime soon…". That comment apparently earned his sensei a smack in the head that knocked him to the ground. He took up a permanent residence in the rear of their group after that, but Kiba noticed his eyes were not on his book as often as they were on team eight's sensei…

Sasuke and Sakura were walking side by side, though the former looked ready to kill the girl by his side if she said one more thing. It wasn't like he hated the girl, no. It was more along the lines that he DID like the girl. That, combined with the fact the girl was just as stupid as the rest of his fan club. He really liked her… when she was being a ninja… but when she went into the "Oh-my-god-Sasuke's-looking-at-me" mode, it was if the girl he thought might eventually be a worthy ninja had disappeared and had been replaced with a soul sucking monster. Sasuke noticed potential in her, but if she was ever going to get her feelings returned, then she would need to grow up.

When they arrived at the beginning of the bridge, the noticed that on the water below them there was a small amount of fog. It was a common sight, especially this early in the morning. Kakashi and Kurenai and, surprisingly, Hinata, noticed the small amount of chakra that the fog contained. It was an artificial fog. Hinata had noticed it, but unlike her sensei, she noticed it in a different way. In fact, over the past few days her entire vision had been changing. She had been using the jutsu the same and correctly, but she was slowly seeing things that should be impossible to see. She could see, very distinctly, when chakra was gathering. A very faint halo of light that she knew instinctively was chakra circled most everything in her vision. She couldn't tell anything else about the chakra, but the fog on the water was full of it. She walked up to her sensei and whispered in her ear.

"Sensei…"

"You sense it?"

"…Hai."

"Keep on guard."

As they reached the end of the construction they noticed something else. There were no workers. Or, at least, no workers able to work. Bodies were spread over the bridge like rag dolls dumped from the sky. Almost as if the bridge had been separated into halves, the workers on the right side of the bridge were all dead. Slaughtered, mostly. Blood coated the bridge in a thick layer of red coloring that no one though was necessary. No body was in less then three or four pieces. Arms were missing, legs were missing, heads were… not missing, A large pile of heads sat in the middle of the right side of the bridge, each with a look of surprise, pain, horror, or anger. The left side was easier to look at by far. Very few of the workers on this side were dead. Most were knocked unconscious and were filled with senbon. Painful, certainly, but not fatal.

Tazuna was behind them with a look of terror on his face. "I…I don't believe it."

"Believe it." The ninjas all turned to watch as the mist rose from the water below them until it covered the entire bridge. The sun dimmed until it seemed less like morning and more like twilight. Once Sakura had finished emptying her stomach at the sight of the right side of the bridge she turned to see all of her teammates facing a shadow in the mist.

"Zabuza… so you did survive."

"Damn right. This time, me and Haku will take you down for good. Haku."

"Sir." The ninjas all turned to face the left side of the bridge. Standing opposite of Zabuza was the hunter ninja that had "killed" Zabuza.

"Ah, so your accomplice shows up. Good, I didn't want to have to find him."

"Finding me would have been the least of your worries." The hunter ninja suddenly had four senbon in each hand and was in a battle stance. Kiba smirked and moved towards her.

"Don't worry, sensei, I got this one."

"Kiba, get back!" Kakashi watched in horror as Kiba charged the hunter ninja that was obviously more powerful then him. Kiba was dropped to the ground seconds after charging with a senbon in each of his knees and elbows. Not able to move his major joints, he fell face first. Two more senbon punctured his shoulders in precise points to make each go numb. Now, even though Kiba was very much awake and in pain, he couldn't remove the senbon.

"Akamaru!" Suddenly a dog came out of the mist from where Kiba had been. The dog rushed to his fallen master and used his teeth to pull the senbon from Kiba's shoulders and elbows. Haku was paying attention, though, and silent needles came flying through the mist, aimed to kill the dog. Kiba saw this, but wasn't able to move yet and didn't have enough time to speak. The needles were instants from killing Kiba's lifelong friend when another body intervened. Hinata stood with kunai in hand, deflecting the near silent needles with complete accuracy.

"Kurenai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei, Kiba, Sasuke, and I will take the hunter." Kurenai nodded.

"Good, Shino, Sakura, protect Tazuna."

"Hai!"

Kakashi watched as the Inuzuka boy got to his feet sluggishly and stand side-by-side with the Hyuga and the Uchiha. Shino stood between Zabuza and the bridge builder, while Sakura stood between the hunter and Tazuna. Kakashi and Kurenai were facing off with the demon of the mist. Kakashi sighed inwardly. This was a fight that could be won, but not without casualties.

_Where is Naruto when you need an extra hand?_

* * *

"WHAT? They left without me?"

"Sorry, Naruto-kun. They didn't want to wake you. They told me you would be out most of the day…" Tsunami had no idea how the kid ad so much energy after working himself to exhaustion day after day. She smiled at his antics before he ran back up the stairs to get his kunai pouch and shurikin holders.

"I need to get to them! They might need my help!"

"What kind of help would you be able to give…" Naruto could almost punch the little kid. Inari stood in his doorway. He looked like he had a permanent scowl on his face and, instead of cute, looked like a punk with his hat pulled over his eyes.

"They're my friends, Damn it! Don't you know what those are? I would give up my life if it could let them live one second longer then If I could survive for years! Your dad understood that! Why can't you accept it! Your dad died a hero, he died trying to protect the ones he cared for. If you really loved him then you would seek to honor his last action instead of dragging your feet when people are out there dieing when they could be saved!" Naruto had finished putting on all of his ninja gear and rushed out of the house. He found a really high tree and run up it. He turned towards the unfinished bridge. It was over a mile away, but he could tell on the clear day that it shouldn't be covered in the unnatural mist that was covering it.

"He's back…"

* * *

Sasuke was not happy. He had trained his body to be faster then this. Hinata, Kiba, and Sasuke had all been trapped inside of some series of mirrors that made no sense. The hunter was in all of the mirrors at once, and he knew no way that that could be possible. Senbon covered all three of their bodies. Sasuke had barely been able to maneuver around most of the senbon, it had helped that he had felt his sharingan manifest itself. The needles were still too numerous and fast for him to dodge, even though he could see them perfectly now. Somewhere on the ground lay Kiba, hopefully not dead, covering his dog's body with his own. His back had been pierced with at least ten senbon and it appeared as if he and his dog were now either unconscious or worse…

Hinata, surprisingly, was as bad off as him. Bad, but much better then he had expected of her. After all of his insults towards her he was feeling very stupid, seeing how she was doing just as good as him. The bad part about that was that neither of them were doing very good at all. Hinata had tried some form of water jutsu, and even though it appeared to be very hot at first, it froze and shattered seconds later. Sasuke had attempted his favorite great fire ball, but found that when it could melt boulders it couldn't melt ice… _Weak. That's all I am. I can't even use the elements to beat this. _Another senbon, to quick to dodge, pierced his arm. He pulled it out with a grimace and a small bit of blood. _The hunter… is strong. I will never be able to defeat Itachi if I lose here… damn it!_ Sasuke used his kunai to deflect ten senbon in a burst of anger induced speed. Before they had hit the ground, Sasuke had thrown a kunai with an explosive tag on it into a far mirror.

"Hinata, duck!" His shout caused Hinata to drop and cover her head. A massive explosion blossomed in the mist. When Sasuke rose up, followed closely by Hinata, he looked at his target. Which, in and of it self wouldn't have been that bad, if he had meant for there to still be a target at all. The mirror was unblemished and in perfect condition. The image of the hunter mocked him silently from his place inside of the ice.

"Kuso…"

"Sasuke!" Sasuke was suddenly pushed to the ground.

* * *

Kakashi had heard the explosion, but had no time to think about it. He and Kurenai were busy working on the massive quantities of water clones Zabuza had called forth to do his bidding. Apparently he had found out that the secret to not being caught by the sharingan was to make sure there were too many targets to concentrate. So far, Zabuza's plan was working perfectly. Both jonin had taken hits, not major hits, but hits. Zabuza, however, was just short some chakra. And not much, considering how weak he was making the clones. They were just there as distractions, anyway. He was the one who would have the pleasure of cutting them up…

Shino and Sakura were equally worried about the Zabuza clones and what was happening inside the ice prison. Shino was concentrating his insects so if anything crossed an invisible line, they would swarm instantly. Even an invisible person would be caught in a massive swarm of bugs. Sakura was just staring at where she knew her Sasuke-kun must be… winning, of course. What else could Sasuke be doing? She had set up a few simple traps around their ward, which they had hid between two crates. The same thought was on most every mind, all except Sakura's.

_WHY THE HELL DID NARUTO PICK THIS DAY TO SLEEP IN?_

* * *

Sasuke stared up in horror. He had not expected to flip around and see that it was Hinata who had tackled him. Her headband had fallen off. She gave him a small smile, though he knew it was not for him. She gave a slight cough and he felt her blood splatter on his face.

"Hinata?"

"Go…Gomen… Sasuke-san… Naruto-kun always says… those who abandon their comrades are tr…" She coughed again. Sasuke suddenly regained feeling and instantly went from being under her protecting body to holding her limp body in his arms. She had taken at least two senbon through her back and into her right lung. Numerous other needles stuck out of her back at random. A few had pierced her arms and legs. Sasuke knew little about human anatomy except the places that guarantee a kill… and although no senbon had hit her heart or gone into her skull… she wasn't looking good at all. She had passed out and he laid her on her stomach, so as not to injure her back even more.

"Fool of a girl… Hinata, wasn't it? Those were meant for you, boy. I had no intention of killing her."

"You… bastard…"

"Yes?" The hunter didn't even seemed fazed. Sasuke looked up from the now still figure on the ground. He had a smirk on his face.

"Did you know that her friend, when he gets here, is going to kill you?"

"Really? Because I killed his girl? Maybe he should find a replacement."

"She was his best friend from birth."

"Changes happen."

"He isn't the kind of person to just accept things like that."

"Well, I guess we will just have to see about that. And by we, I mean me. You won't be awake to see anything." Sasuke suddenly realized that the person in front of him wasn't the real hunter at all. In fact, he knew that to be true when he felt two needles pierce his neck. Losing all feeling with his body he collapsed to the ground, barely missing impaling himself on the senbon sticking out of Hinata's back. The last thing he saw before he drifted into sweet painless bliss was the form of the hunter ninja beginning to come out of the mirrors, only to be hit in the mask with a shurikin. _About damn time... dobe..._

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki was a lot of things. He was the demon vessel of the nine tailed fox. He was a Konoha ninja. He was a loyal and fierce friend. He was a humorous and energetic young boy. But only one trait mattered to him or anyone else on the bridge the moment he arrived. Naruto Uzumaki had a tendency to jump to conclusions and lose his temper despite endless training with his adopted father. The hunter ninja got up from the ground to see a fourth figure inside of the ice prison. He had come in on his own free will. Haku smiled, knowing that he would not escape now. He held the figure of the one girl, Hinata, in his arms. His back was to her, so she couldn't see his face. She smiled, knowing from her earlier conversation with him that, without this girl, he would have less reservations. Now, all she needed to do was knock him out, finish the mission, and then come back as Haku the pretty herb girl and "console" him.

But the plans of men are like leafs in the wind. Haku suddenly felt something coming from the boy in front of her that was anything but a confession of love. Fear almost paralyzed her when she realized that it was killing intent, and in such power that Zabuza, Kakashi, Kurenai, Shino, and Sakura all looked over towards them in fear. Tazuna just broke out into tears and barely managed to keep his lunch in his stomach. Naruto slowly rose to his feet, though it was almost as if he was being pulled to his feet by invisible strings. Chakra began oozing from his body, then flowing from it, and then bursting forth from it like a chakra explosion. Red chakra burned like flames around his body. Haku managed to jump into a mirror, but was promptly thrown to the ground again when all of her mirrors shattered.

Now, the rest of the occupants of the bridge could see exactly what was producing the killing intent. The jonins, Zabuza included, stared in horror at the red chakra and watched as it briefly formed a massive fiery fox head before returning to surround Naruto's body. He turned to face Haku and the rest of the bridge. His eyes were no longer the deep blue that Hinata had longer to drown herself in. They were blood red, with the iris splitting the eye like a cat's or… a fox's. His canines had enlarged to extend out of his mouth and the telltale whisker marks had enlarged and grown darker. He looked less human than demon…

Kakashi gave a small look at Kurenai and she nodded. Suddenly Sakura found herself unconscious. Shino was left awake, but was just as surprised as Sakura had been. Naruto would have a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

Naruto stood knee deep in water. He had no idea where he was, how he had gotten there, or if he was even alive. The last thing he remembered seeing was the body of Hinata in his arms…

"**Hey… kid…"** Naruto looked around. Behind him stood a missive gate, unlike anything he had ever seen. The bars of the gate would have been easy enough to walk through. Whatever they had meant to hold back must have… been… Naruto gazed up at two glowing red orbs the size of his entire body. The darkness didn't allow him to see who's eyes they were, but he knew…

"Kyuubi…" His dream started to come back to him.

"**Good, at least you remember who I am."**

"I know who you are… and I know what you offer!"

"**Ah, so you remember the whole dream."**

"Kyuubi… you bastard…"

"**Don't get so worked up about me, I have already been punished for my crimes. My immortality has been removed, the worst punishment possible for a demon lord. If I was you… I would be focusing on the one who injured you woman."**

"Hinata…"

"**Right... now I am going to give you some chakra. Take it and use it. Take revenge for the girl."**

"Wha… What are you doing?"

* * *

Naruto found himself back in his body. He looked down at the body of Hinata, and in the process saw his hands. They now had claws. His body felt more powerful then ever. He smirked, looking at the hunter ninja lying on the ground.

"**Heh… foolish… you hurt her."**

"Wha… what are you?"

"**I am… going to kill you." **Haku gulped, her plan had backfired in a very nasty, and potentially fatal way. The chakra coming off of the boy was more then two or three of Zabuza, even if he had no control of it whatsoever. Haku suddenly felt no attraction to the boy in front of her. In fact, she was feeling very sorry that she was born, the killing intent was so great. Naruto turned completely around to face her. She managed to stand, preparing to defend against the assault she knew was coming.

"Kakashi, is he…" Kurenai wiped a bit of blood off her cheek where she had been cut.

"No, the seal is still intact, but something is going on…"

"What is the brat?" Zabuza was no longer paying attention to the two jonin. He was starting at the boy with chakra swirling around his body.

"You know… Zabuza, you are called the demon of the mist, right? Well, you know… demons… they…"

"The kid is a container…"

"Yeah…"

"Which one?"

"The Kyuubi no Kitsune, nine tails."

"No shit? Damn, looks like I'm on the wrong side again…"

"Give up and he might stop."

"Give up? No. I never give up. Who cares about the right side." Zabuza swung his sword again, this time nearly cleaving Kakashi's head from his shoulders. Kakashi barely ducked, only losing a few pieces of hair.

"Listen, Zabuza, we are both ninjas with places to go, people to see… what say we end this now with our best."

"Perfect, I knew I could count on the copy-cat ninja to show some balls." Zabuza smiled. Both of the other jonin were somewhere in the mist. He could hear Kakashi doing something that sounded like… birds… but the woman must have been standing perfectly still.

Shino watched in morbid fascination as the battle reached its final and undeniably gruesome finish. He saw Zabuza suddenly become immobile due to a tree taking root at his feet and trapping him again. Just like before, except out of the mist came a single lone figure. Kakashi charged Zabuza with his arm covered in electrical energy. He shoved the arm into his chest, destroying the cold, merciless heart of the jonin of the mist. Haku saw her master and only precious person die, but was unable to move due to the fear of the… thing before her. She didn't stay like that for long, though… everyone on the bridge watched as Naruto walked up to her, destroyed the mask just by touching it, and then stared at the face of the girl that had called him cute.

"Kill me. Please. I failed Zabuza-sama..."

"**I used to think that I couldn't hate anyone more then the people that would stare at me with hate and then attempt to beat me. Now I know… people who look at you with love and then hurt you… they are the worst. The traitors…"**

Haku had no chance to apologize, and if she did it wouldn't have mattered. Naruto's hand was for one instant next to her left shoulder, and then the next it was on her right. Her head slid from her shoulders in a painless death. Naruto turned, this time facing the uncompleted portion of the bridge. The mist had slowly receded after Zabuza had been killed. Now the ninja could see a massive crowd of weapon wielding men. In front of them stood a business man.

"Men, take them and then you can have anything from the village beyond that you want." The men cheered before charging. They had not thought to look at the boy on the side of the bridge, and this was their final mistake. Seconds before the mob reached the exhausted jonins a mass of orange ninja stopped them. The front line on men collapsed as their entrails were removed by the claws of dozens of Naruto's. Each rank pushed forward until they realized why nothing was moving, then they would try to back up, only to be killed by claws. Blood drained off of the bridge, coloring the water red below them. A minute later and there was no more enemy, Gato himself was ripped in half, floating to the sea.

The red glow surrounding Naruto died down slowly as he walked back to Hinata's body. He collapsed to his knees next to the girl he had grown up with and the boy he had come to think of as, if not a friend, then an acquaintance that was not actively hostile in anything but words.

"Damn it… damn it…"

"Naruto…" Kurenai was next to him in an instant. Kakashi was checking Kiba.

"Sensei… I… I was late…"

"Naruto, don't think that… she isn't dead."

"What?"

"She isn't dead. Carry her, very carefully, back to the house. Shino took Tazuna already. When you get her there, carefully remove the senbon and bandage the wounds, okay?" As Kurenai was talking she removed the two senbon that had stuck into her lungs. She then channeled some chakra into her hands and used it to empty Hinata's lungs. Hinata went into a coughing fit, still unconscious, and a large amount of blood suddenly came out. "Don't worry, it was in her lungs. She will be able to breathe well now."

"Sensei…"

"Get her back, now. Tonight, you, Kakashi, Shino, and me are going to have a nice long talk."

"Hai, sensei." Naruto was dreading the talk, but Hinata was safe for now. He carefully gathered the girl in his arms, noticing how light she felt, and started walking towards the village. He hadn't taken ten steps when he stopped.

"Sensei…"

"What?"

"I… I did that, didn't I?" She saw that he was looking at the headless hunter ninja.

"We can talk about it later, ok?"

"H…hai."

"Now, go." Naruto walked back along the bridge, not noticing the large crowds of townspeople that made room for him as he carried the girl he had killed for to a place where she could be safe.

* * *

"Now, Naruto. You are going to tell Shino what is so special about you, and then you will tell us what we just saw." Naruto grimaced. Apparently all three of the people Haku had been attacking had survived. Hinata had the most problems, with a punctured lung. Kiba and Akamaru each were going to need some time in the hospital to heal the tendons and ligaments that had been cut by the senbon. Sasuke was going to be unconscious for a few days, but other then that all of his wounds had been superficial. Sakura was suffering from a sore neck. Shino was unharmed. Naruto was also unharmed, but he was anything but unaffected. He had killed a girl in revenge… a girl who hadn't even killed his friends, like he had thought. Sure, she was the enemy, but… she hadn't actually done anything worthy of death to him. Even if she had been trying for that result, she hadn't actually accomplished it…

"I… sure. Shino, you know how you have all those bugs inside you?"

"Hai."

"I have… something else. Twelve years ago on my birthday the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked Konoha and killed my parents. The Forth Hokage managed to defeat the demon by sealing in. A demon that powerful needed to be sealed into a person… a child. The only eligible child was… was me. I am the container for the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Up until recently all that has meant was cold stares and occasionally being kicked out of stores or just kicked… but today… I saw him." The two jonin looked bug eyed, which was ironic since the only one who could actually be called "bug eyed" was staring the same as if Naruto had just told him he had a case of the common cold.

"Somehow I saw him. He told me he would give me a small amount of his power to fight the person who had hurt Hinata…"

"Naruto, you shouldn't trust him."

"I don't…"

"Naruto."

"Yeah, Shino?"

"People give me cold stares too. We are more alike then you know. We each are judged by what we contain, not by who we are." Shino removed his glasses, showing violet eyes filled with emotion. "Still friends?" Shino extended his hand, which still had insects crawling on it.

"Hai, nothing but." Naruto smiled and to the hand in a handshake, not caring about the insects if Shino could ignore the claws and blood he had had just hours before.

"Glad you two understand each other. Now, let's get some rest. Some villagers are going to bury the bodies."

Naruto had been smiling until he remembered all the death he had caused. He then looked down at the ground. Shino patted his friend on the back. He was tempted to tell his friend to look at the bright side, his insects had been given a feast, but instead he simply walked inside, knowing he would feel the same way when he killed his first... though with a trained face he would never show it.

Naruto was left outside with Kurenai and Kakashi. Kakashi had his notorious book to his eyes, though if one watched carefully they would notice that he wasn't looking at it, but through it, as if concentrating on something else. Kurenai sighed.

"Naruto, the first time I killed…"

"Sensei, I don't care about those bastards that were coming to rape and pillage. They got what they deserved and were in the way of the mission. B…but I killed that girl… not because it was the mission… but out of my hate and anger and out of revenge… it doesn't feel right."

"That is right, Naruto. Revenge is pointless." Kakashi closed his book and looked down at the blond haired genin. "Revenge only brings emptiness. But, if it makes you feel any better you should know that if you hadn't killed her then there was a good chance she would have killed Hinata. Her death was a necessary part of the mission, and even if you did it for the wrong reason…"

"The end was worth it." Naruto suddenly found himself being hit on the back of head.

"No, the end NEVER justifies the means. Even if you did it for the wrong reason, you knew deep down that it was something that needed to be done, didn't you?"

"…yeah, I… I guess I did."

"Good. Even if revenge was the main motive, there was more there. Even if it was subconscious."

Naruto frowned. He wished he could relive the past day. He wouldn't have let anyone get hurt… not even those two ninja.

"Now, get to bed before I knock you out myself." Kakashi walked past him, pulling his book out again and giving Naruto's hair a ruffle. Kurenai looked past Naruto at the jonin that, up until this mission, had been an enigma to her. A person she always saw as… well, a pervert who needed a good smack in the head. She had seen something of a softer side over the past week and… it was interesting to say the least. Taking care of him while he was recovering had been an… experience.

"Sensei, good night."

"Good night, Naruto."

* * *

Naruto woke to find himself not in the chair he had set up at Hinata's bedside, but in a comfortable bed. He opened his eyes to see that, despite feeling like he had slept till noon, it was still as dark as midnight. And it smelled like lilac. He closed his eyes again before curling his arms further around the rather large pillow he was hugging. It was so… comfortable. Even more so then any regular pillow he had ever had. The smell of lilacs grew stronger and he felt something tickle his nose. He had a burning desire to just snuggle closer… which he did. It wasn't until he heard an almost imperceptible "eep!" come from his pillow that he fully woke up and sat up in the bed. He immediately regretted it.

The pillow… wasn't a pillow. The scent of lilacs? Yeah, why didn't he think about that. Midnight? Nope, bright as day in here. It wasn't even his bed. He was trying to breathe with something akin to shock on his face as he stared at the now unconscious Hinata that he had been snuggling like… like…

Naruto took his cue from the expert on embarrassment and passed out, to the entertainment of Kurenai and Kakashi who sat outside the window.

"When do you think he will realize that they were both fully clothed?"

"I don't think he cares. He can take on jonin level ninjas and do the Hiraishin, but girls can cause the kid to pass out. Kurenai, what are you teaching these kids. You should give them the whole, birds and bees talk."

"That wouldn't help, I would just find myself running around with a group consisting of one silent bug user and two ninja with permanent nose bleeds. I'll take three competent ninja any day."

"You'll have to tell them eventually…"

"Yeah, how about when every last one of them is chunin?"

"I'm not arguing!"

"Good, cause if you were…"

* * *

Teams seven and eight spent a few more weeks recovering. The bridge was finished under the watchful eyes of Naruto, Shino, and Sakura. The other three spent most of their time resting in their beds. Hinata was the least bored of the three, because each day Naruto would come back and tell her all the great things that would happen. Then he would give her some dango that he had picked up in the village, tell her to get better, and then run out of the room to train. She always noticed that he would never look her in the eyes anymore without blushing. It was different, but she didn't care. The fact that Kakashi, Shino, and Kurenai all said that Naruto had been the one to save the village made her happy enough. She was sobered on the way out of the village when they crossed the bridge to find a large graveyard, brand new. No tombstone held a name, just a date. Every stone said the same. The day she had almost died and Naruto had saved the town.

Naruto avoided the looks of everyone for the rest of the day. No one spoke in the tense silence that permeated the group the entire day. It wasn't until nightfall that Naruto said anything.

"Hey, dobe."

"Shut up, teme…"

"You know, your girlfriend over there? She saved my life."

"Hinata?"

"Yeah… so I take it all back about what I said about her."

"Yeah? Well… good!"

"But you're still a dobe."

"Teme!"

"Dobe."

"Teme!"

And just like that the whole group was back to normal. There certainly wasn't friendship between the two teams, at least not very much. There was a sense of companionship, though. One formed between people that had gone through trials together. They had formed respect for each other…… ok, not so much the respect.

"Hey, Hinata? Want to go on a date when we get back?"

"Ano…"

"Hinata already has a date with me, dog face!" Hinata blushed as Naruto jumped in front of her. Kiba didn't seem so sure when he saw the surprised look on Hinata's face.

"Really? Hinata you have a date with this loser?"

"Ano… h…hai."

"Oh, well… when you grow tired of the loser, remember I am here for you…" Kiba walked away with a smug look on his face. Naruto turned to Hinata.

"Sorry about that, I figured you really didn't want to go on a date with him and that was the easiest way out of it. You really don't have to go on a date with me if you don't want..."

"A…argiato, N…Naruto-kun… ano… I… I have nothing better to do…"

"R…really?"

"H…Hai."

"Well, ok then!" Naruto smiled as he walked beside the girl he had come to… like as maybe more then a friend maybe…

* * *

AN: GOOD GOD THE LoW ARC IS FINALLY DONE! ON TO MY FAVORITE, THE CHUNIN EXAM!!!


	9. The Test of a Man

AN: Well, this chapter officially begins the chunin exams. Hurrah. For people saying that Haku's death was ooc or too gruesome… yes, you are probably right. For some reason I actually _intended_ to keep her alive, as a sort of rival for Hinata, but the way I was writing sort of… led to her death, if you know what I mean. I just go with the flow of my writing and, in this case, she died. Besides, I never said Haku wouldn't be ooc at all. Hell, I changed the character's gender. That, in and of itself, changes a lot. I admit, killing off Haku with nearly no character depth is not as much of an impact then, say… killing off HINATA!!! No, that isn't going to happen. Just messing with you. OR AM I? No really, I'm just joking. OR MAYBE NOT! No, really, she ain't gonna die in this fic...

* * *

Chapter 8: The Test of a Man

* * *

"Hiashi-sama! We're back!" Now, Naruto Uzumaki, when he wants to, can be heard across all of Konoha. And, when he wants to, can draw the attention of every member of the Hyuga family with one shout. But that had nothing to do with the volume of his voice on this day, for Hiashi Hyuga, the adopted guardian of the young ninja, stood five feet away with his hair now less then its usual perfect. If it wasn't for the fact that it was Naruto Uzumaki and his own daughter walking through the door with such a shout, the perpetrator might have suffered from instantly having the tenketsu on their body sealed.

"Otou-san. Nee-sama." Hinata gave a small, polite bow to her family. Her sister gave her one in return, while her father gave her a smile.

"Hinata, Naruto. It is good to see you back from your mission. I trust it was successful."

"Hell yeah, Hiashi-sama. We kicked serious ninja ass!"

"Naruto, please refrain from using such language."

"Hai, Hiashi-sama, but we were awesome. I mean, you know it was a C mission at first, but in the first day it went from C to B and then when we got to the Land of Waves it went from B to A!" Hiashi stared at the young boy, who had just described something that shouldn't have been.

"Naruto, you and Hinata went on an A mission?"

"No no no. We went on a C mission, but then these ninjas showed up to kill the guy we were protecting. There were two chunin level and two jonin level according to Kakashi-sensei. The first two we took out went we caught up to team seven. Then, later…"

"Naruto. As interesting as the story is, I must leave now. Hanabi and I are going to visit the Hokage right now, so please contain yourself until dinner." Naruto gave a small pout before letting out a half hearted 'hai'. Hinata smiled at her father and sister as they left. After they were gone each of the two genin decided showers were in order. Naruto stayed in his room as Hinata used the shower closest to each of their rooms.

In time with his door shutting, his smile slipped from his face. _Kuso… kuso… why did I have to go shoot my mouth off to Hiashi. He'll ask about the mission tonight and I'll have to tell him about those people I killed. Sure, they deserved it. Sure, if I hadn't stopped them then a lot more people would be dead… but I killed them all in cold blood. Those men were sons of mothers, bastards, but they had families probably. And I… I removed their lives. I ended any chance for them to become good… and Haku… damn that girl! She didn't have to hurt Hinata, Sasuke, and Kiba like that! Why the hell would she do that! First girl to ever call me cute… in that way. And I murdered her in cold blood. Kuso… _

Naruto was laying on his bed with his hands behind his head. He stared at the ceiling, but wasn't looking at it. He focused inwardly on his own stupidity and failures._ If I had been stronger… if I had only been stronger I could have held back the rage. I could have… I could have… I could have done something! Instead I gave into what I knew I wanted to do… not what was right. What do they all think of me now? I never told them the story… but they all saw the graves. The only one who actually knows what happened, besides the sensei, is Shino. Maybe I could go talk with him. He's a nice guy, maybe he'll understand. After all, the only thing worse that could happen is he hates me forever… yeah, not that bad…_

Hinata, while in the shower, was having other thoughts, not nearly on the same wavelength of Naruto's._ I HAVE A DATE WITH NARUTO-KUN! WHAT DO I DO? WHATDOIDOWHATDOIDO? Will we go out now or later? Is it a 'date' because he feels sorry for me or a date because he wanted it? He asked me on one because Kiba wanted to go on one with me… so that makes it… what? Jealousy? No, Naruto-kun is never jealous… or is he? Oh, how I wish it was jealousy! No, that's a bad though, Hinata! Stop hoping Naruto asked you out because Kiba wanted you and he wants you more. He wanted you or he wouldn't have asked the second time after Kiba was away! Yeah… I think… I don't know… where is another girl when you need one? I know, I can go find Kurenai-sensei! She will help me! But what do I need help with? Naruto. Yes, I need help on how to make a date with Naruto perfect, the first of many…_ Hinata blushed in the shower, glad no one on earth could hear her thoughts. She would need to be careful around Naruto when they used their team's jutsu. It was getting harder to contain her little thoughts like, "Naruto looks great without his shirt…". Hinata blushed again.

* * *

Naruto arrived at Shino's clans residence a little while after he had taken a shower. He had never actually been inside the Aburame residence, partially because he never had a real reason to, but also because even though he couldn't think of his friend as creepy, the clan had to be filled with bugs. He shivered as he knocked on the door, but smiled when it was Shino himself who opened the door.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah, hey Shino. I… I kinda wanted to talk to you…"

"Really… ok."

"Is there… is there some place we could go in private?"

"…yes…"

Shino stepped outside and closed the door behind him. Instead of walking down the street towards a training ground, though, he led Naruto around his house and they walked for a few minutes till they were behind the main house of the Aburame clan. After walking a small distance into the forest they came to a clearing. Naruto was amazed at the sight. The clearing was absolutely filled with butterflies of some many colors it was as if someone had taken every color in existence and crammed it into the clearing onto the wings of butterflies. A small stream ran through the clearing, two rocks large enough to sit on sat in the stream. As they walked towards the rocks, the butterflies in their way took flight, showing that not only the butterflies were what was colorful. The clearing, though covered in the colorful insects, was also covered in beautiful flowers, flowers that would have made the Yamanaka clan jealous.

Shino sat on one of the rocks and made a motion for Naruto to take the other. Naruto was still stunned by the beauty around him and was just looking around.

"This… is my place… I come here to think…"

"Really? It is…"

"Beautiful. It calms the mind… and I feel that your mind needs calm." Naruto glanced at his perceptive friend and smiled. It was calming to see the beauty of the world around him.

"Yeah…"

"What do you need to talk about, Naruto?"

"What made you think I wanted to talk?"

"You showed up at my door and asked to talk to me."

"Oh… right. Well… you and sensei are the only ones who actually know what… what happened on that bridge. Everyone else… they just saw the graves. I… you saw… I killed them all without a seconds thought. I just saw them going across that bridge and seconds later I found myself kneeling over Hinata with blood all over myself. It… it was scary! I told you about Kyuubi, but I know… I know I was in complete control of myself. It wasn't him at all, I… I killed them all and as much as I want to forget it I just keep coming back to the fact that dozens of people are never going to breathe again. I mean, I was treated and still am treated like crap by most of the city. Being with the Hyugas makes it easier… but what want to say is that I always have had a dream and I hated it when people tried to stop me. And look, I just stopped any of those people from ever fulfilling their own dreams. Sure, they were doing something bad and needed to be stopped, but…"

"Naruto."

"Huh?"

"Naruto. You told me that killing out of revenge bothers you. Good."

"What?"

"I would be worried if you kept up the act like nothing was wrong. I watched you kill in cold blood, the cold blood part was wrong but those men needed to either be killed or stopped. You accomplished that. You had the wrong motives, so work next time on keeping your temper and focusing on the mission. There is nothing to gain with your regret. They are dead, nothing you can do will bring them back." Shino watched as Naruto laid back on his rock to stare at the sky.

"Naruto… you are merely a human… and you make mistakes… so accept them and move on. Dwell on them and it will hurt you more."

"Shino… thanks…"

* * *

"So, Hinata… why are you here again?" Kurenai had been about to go for a walk, one of the few peaceful activities she was entitled to, and had run into the young Hyuga heiress who had apparently been standing outside her door trying to get the courage to knock. She had accidentally knocked Hinata to the ground and had invited her in for tea. Now that they each had a full cup of tea in their hands Kurenai realized that there was probably a reason for her to be here.

"Ano… I… I was wondering, sensei, if… if you had any… any advice on… on dating…" Her voice had trailed into a barely audible whisper near the end. Kurenai, though, managed to catch it all and started choking on her tea.

"You… you mean you actually got the courage to ask him on a date and he said yes?"

"Ano… no… he… it was kind of… Kiba started it…"

"Oh, I get it. He was jealous!"

"Ano…"

"Oh, yeah, Hinata. I can help you with that. When is the date?"

"I… I don't know…"

"It should be soon…"

"Why?"

"Well, because… wait, you aren't allowed to know anything about that yet. Oh well. But, if I were you I would bring it up… no, wait. That would probably just cause you to pass out again."

"S…sensei!"

"Oh, Hinata. I am just having a little fun. You are too shy for your own good. If you don't get the courage to up and tell the kid you like him… why, me and Kakashi will find you two and a couple Naras we know and force you two to make out in public."

"N…Nani?"

"Oh, that's right. You want help. What do you want to know?"

"Wha…what do I do?"

"Well, let's see. There are three main strategies for most girls. One, dress with as little clothes as you can and leave only the necessary parts to his imagination. That, Hinata, is not what I would suggest for you. I would expect that Ino Yamanaka girl to be like that. Two, play hard to get. You could act like you think he is just barely bearable and be mysterious. Act the beautiful and very much desirable lady. That is also not a very Hinata like choice. Now, the most successful and least used dating strategy is the be yourself strategy, where you just be yourself. You blush when he holds your hand. Giggle when he makes you laugh. Pass out if he kisses you, but not until you kiss him back. I would recommend you do this, Hinata, because the other two choices usually don't end up as well. And, hell, if he can't like the real you then he's not worth your attention."

"But… but I can't help but lo... like him..."

"Oh, you must have it bad for the kid, don't ya? That was "love" you were going to say, right? Well, all I can say to that is that he better damn like the real you, but who wouldn't?"

"A…arigato Kurenai sensei…"

"Just remeber that your father would kill Naruto if he thought he hurt you. So don't pass out on your date."

Hinata almost passed out, but mangaed to just hang her mouth open and stare at her sensei.

"That's enough stuttering for today Hinata. Why don't you go back home and see if your date remembers the date? He has a pretty bad memory from what I can tell except in battle. Damn is he good in battle. Kakashi told me he reminded him of the Fourth, but don't tell Naruto that, it will only go to his head."

"Arigato, Kurenai sensei… for the tea… and everything."

"Don't mention it, Hinata. I never get to talk like this with anyone of my peers. Do you know Anko, the torture specialist? We're friends, became jonin around the same time. Talking to her… well, I don't talk with other women often."

"What about Kakashi-sensei?" Kurenai managed to conceal a small blush on her cheeks with a frown.

"Hinata, it is getting late and I don't want to keep you from prince charming any longer, so get going!"

"Hai, sensei." Hinata smiled a little more while leaving. At least she wasn't the only one with a secret crush.

* * *

"So, Naruto and Hinata. How was the mission?" Naruto had cheered up after his talk with Shino, and Hinata was slightly more cheerful during dinner, but both of them froze at the mention of the mission. Hinata looked at Naruto who was looking at his hands as if they were the most interesting things in the world. Naruto looked up and instantly a smile was back on his face.

"Hiashi-sama, our team was awesome. We teamed up with team seven and Kakashi-sensei, but our team was really good anyway. We learned how to climb trees with our chakra. Our team took out two chunins near the beginning of the trip, missing ninjas who wanted to kill the guy we were protecting."

"Chunins, eh?"

"That's what Kakashi-sensei said. When we finally arrived in the Land of Waves we met up with another ninja, this one was a jonin. Zabuza of the Mist." Hiashi, normally as emotionless as possible, widened his eyes slightly at the name. "He had a big sword and Hinata barely pushed me out of the way to dodge it. Then Kakashi and Kurenai-sensei faced off with him, but lost and got trapped in a water prison. Hinata and Shino took out the guys water clones and Sasuke and I attacked the main guy. We distracted him enough to break the prison and then the sensei really cleaned him up…"

"Naruto-kun got hurt."

"What was that, Hinata?"

"Naruto-kun was injured in the fight. He… he was thrown into a tree and nearly died…"

"Really Naruto, why didn't you mention that?"

"It was my own stupid fault. I tried a… move that I shouldn't have tried…"

"Well, Naruto, admitting your mistakes is the first step to fixing them. At least you are safe." Hanabi had been listening intently to the story, but was getting tired. A late dinner and a busy day forced her to ask herself to be excused and she immediately went to her room. Naruto sighed in relief, knowing that the next part of the story he needed to tell Hinata and Hiashi was not one that he would want to tell Hanabi. She was getting to be a strong ninja, but she hadn't seen the things that Hiashi, Naruto and Hinata had. As Hanabi left for her room Naruto's smile faded a little and then into a neutral expression, one Hiashi hadn't seen in a long time.

"Naruto, are you ok?"

"Yeah… so after the battle Kakashi-sensei was out of it for a week 'cause he used something called the sharingan. I got up the next day and Kurenai taught us how to climb trees with chakra. Hinata made it up on her second try! I took all day." Hinata blushed at his complement. "So… about a week later the bridge was almost done. Everyone was back on their feet except me cause I had trained too hard the day before. Something happened on the bridge…" He looked at Hinata for help. She didn't like that day.

"Otou-san, we… we arrived at the bridge and all of the workers were either dead or injured. The jonin we had fought earlier hadn't died, he had been taken by a hunter ninja who turned out to be his accomplice. We fought them on the bridge, Kakashi and Kurenai went against Zabuza and me, Sasuke Uchiha, and Kiba Inuzuka fought the hunter ninja. We were outmatched. He had some sort of blood line ability with ice and when Naruto arrived we were almost dead. Kiba was unconscious, I was…"

"Hinata was almost dead. She had senbon in her lungs. No one else was as injured as she was. Sasuke passed out moments before I arrived. I… I got there and… and I killed her…"

"What?"

"I killed her. I thought she had killed Hinata and I killed her for it."

"Naruto, I know you are a very good ninja. I trained you myself sometimes. But if Hinata, the last Uchiha and the second in line to the Inuzuka clan head position couldn't even harm the hunter, how were you able to kill it?"

"I… I sort of passed out… and woke up inside my mind… inside was a… there was a cage with a seal on it… inside was… him… he told me I should take revenge for Hinata's death and he gave me some of his power… apparently that was all I needed. I know it was only a tiny fraction of what he had, but with it I killed the ninja… but… kuso… I made a mistake again. The hunter hadn't killed Hinata and I had killed her in cold blood. But I didn't stop there. The man who had hired the ninja showed up with more men, regular people, not ninjas at all. They were coming to pillage the city. I… I…"

"You killed them."

"Hai. Kakashi and Kurenai were tired from killing Zabuza. Shino was the only other conscious one and not even he could hold them back so… so I killed them all. I… I came to terms with my mistakes today. I regret killing in cold blood like that… even if it was my job…"

"Good. It seems like you have taken the right lesson from this. You aren't some weapon to be used to kill all who anger you. You are a human and should have emotions. I am glad you care and regret your decision, it shows me the Kyuubi is not in control, even though I already knew it. The part about you actually talking to the Kyuubi, that is… interesting. I don't know what to think about it right now. I would advise you to talk with it further if you get the chance to again."

"Why, isn't he just some bastard fox who wants to kill everyone?"

"Partially, I guess so. Watch your language. But he is also bound by a code of honor, as are all immortal beings. When he was sealed into you, he promised to help you in your life. Giving you some chakra was probably his idea of helping you."

"So he has to help me?"

"How do you think you heal so fast?"

"I thought that was because I was so cool?"

"Ano… Naruto-kun…" Hinata was just talking with Hiashi and didn't remember Hinata was there. "I… if you… I still think you're a great ninja even if you did make a mistake." Hinata smiled with a blush on her cheeks. Naruto smiled back, and suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, Hiashi-sama, I sorta promised Hinata to take her on a date, if that's alright with you." Hiashi almost spat out his tea but managed to swallow it.

"That is fine, better make it tomorrow, though."

"Why?"

"Because… well, something might happen the day after tomorrow." Hiashi showed a rare smile, one that meant don't-ask-I-won't-tell. Naruto sighed. It was already dark out.

"Ok, fine. Date tomorrow with Hinata-chan, got it. Good night, Hiashi-sama and Hinata."

He was already out the door when Hinata realized what he had said. _He said he had a date with Hinata-chan! He never called me chan before!_ Hinata blushed so much Hiashi had to give a small laugh. This, of course, caused Hinata to pass out.

* * *

"Alright Hinata! Where to?" Naruto Uzumaki led Hinata Hyuga through the streets of Konoha with her hand in his. It was an… interesting sight to many people. In fact, it wasn't uncommon to see a person walking down the street turn and watch as they went by and then burst into laughter when they were out of sight. The girl was barely remaining conscious as her hand was constantly engulfed in the one of the boy she lo… liked a lot. The boy was oblivious to her obvious discomfort. They had been wandering around the city for an hour. They had eaten ramen at Ichirakus and then gone for some dango later. They had found Shino training, or collecting bugs as Hinata and Naruto saw it. They had stopped by the old ninja academy and had interrupted Iruka-sensei's lesson. Naruto had shown off as he had walked into the classroom upside-down, surprising not only the ninja hopefuls being taught, but also their old sensei.

After their brief visit they had continued around town, looking for something to do. That is where they were now, after not finding anything of interest to do they just walked and talked about jutsu, pranks to pull on Sasuke Uchiha and Kiba, other things that came to mind. They were walking down an alley way when Naruto and Hinata both realized that they were being followed. Followed by a large square box colored with crayons in the same color as the street. Naruto almost laughed, but instead decided to play a little trick.

"All right, corps, we are going to take this guy down."

"Konohamaru, he walked on the ceiling. ON THE CEILING! How are we going to take him down?"

"Good question, I thought one of you would have an idea."

"Come on, he's getting away!"

"Oh, right. What the…!" Suddenly the box was being lifted off their heads from behind. Behind them stood a giggling Hinata and a smiling Naruto.

"Hey, these guys were in Iruka-sensei's class!" The three kids jumped back and formed up in a practiced formation with the kid with tall brown hair and a long yellow scarf ahead of the other boy with glasses and the girl with red hair. The glanced down the street at the backs of the two people they thought they had been following, only to see them disapear into smoke. They turned around and looked ready to fight.

"Weird yellow haired kid, we demand you show us how to walk on ceilings!"

"Who are you, kid?" Naruto had a suspicion who he was.

"I am the great Konohamaru and this is my team! Now teach us how to walk on ceilings before we beat you into the dust."

"Yeah!" The other two talked with courage, but Naruto could tell at least they understood they were outclassed.

"Konohamaru Sarutobi?"

"Yeah, what's it to ya?"

"The "honorable grandson"?"

"Shut up! I am going to be Hokage myself one day and then it will him who is the honorable grandfather!" Naruto looked in seriousness at the young kid. He knew what he wanted and he wasn't going to use his name to get it. It reminded him of himself.

"Really? You want to be Hokage? Well in that case I can't teach you anything."

"Nani? Why not?"

"Because I am going to be Hokage! That makes us rivals, Konohamaru."

"Rivals? Hm… ok. You are now going to be my eternal rival and I will surpass you one day in everything, including ceiling-walking!"

"Very well, rival. But if you plan on doing that you better train everyday."

"Why?"

"Because I am going to train every day, and if you fall behind I am not going to slow down so you can catch up."

"Yeah, but I won't have trouble catching up when you have a girlfriend." Hinata and Naruto were in shock for a moment before both of them blushed. "Right? Am I right? She's a real looker, rival, but I am going to beat you one day in that too! I'll marry the most beautiful woman in the city." This time it was the girl with the red hair who blushed, but Konohamaru didn't catch it.

"Yeah right. Like you could ever marry Hinata." Hinata blushed even more from Naruto's complement._ He called me the most beautiful woman in the city! I… I… I…_ Hinata passed out. Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon all jumped back like she had died or was using some jutsu none of them knew of. Naruto sighed before picking her up in his arms.

"Gee, rival, did she die?"

"No, but you might unless you guys get out of my way." Naruto and the Konohamaru Corps turned to face two strange ninjas. The one who had spoken was dressed all in black with purple face paint on. He looked like a raccoon… kinda... and Naruto would have laughed out loud if it hadn't been for his comment before. He was carrying a bandaged thing on his back, but Naruto couldn't tell what it was. The other person was definitely not laughing material. In fact, Naruto thought that if a woman could ever look hot and cold at the same time, this was what they would look like. If you focused your attention on anything except her face you would picture a perfect figured blond shinobi with a massive metal thing on her back. But her face was not that of a woman, but of a killer. Naruto managed to hold back a shiver, but Konohamaru obviously couldn't tell a killer when he saw one.

"Hey, rival, who's the hott babe?" Instantly, Konohamaru had been lifted by his neck and pressed against a nearby fence by the raccoon boy.

"What makes you think you can talk to my sister like that and get away with it?" Now, if Konohamaru had been a lesser ninja he would have merely had to say that he was the Hokage's son and that would have most likely removed the threat, but he had long ago made a promise that he would only achieve anything by his own and never with his family name. He was silently cursing his promise when he was suddenly released from the grip of the black suited ninja with Naruto's fist colliding with the guy's cheek. The girl caught her brother before he even hit the ground.

"What makes you think you can treat a little kid like that? A real ninja would have the self control to shrug off a comment like that." Naruto watched as the boy got to his feet. It was then that he noticed the headbands of the ninjas, the symbol of sand. "So, what are ninja from Suna doing in Konoha, hm?"

"I don't think you need to know, being as you're going to die right here." The black suited boy removed whatever it was on his back and stood it up next to him. The girl backed off, it was obviously some sort of weapon. But before Naruto even drew a kunai he felt something very strange, powerful, strange and yet… familiar. He turned to look at a tree behind him. Hanging by his feet was a third sand ninja, but this one topped the first two by far. His hair was red, but that was the only thing bright about him. His face was emotionless, black rings circled his eyes as if he hadn't slept in a long time, and the kanji for love was tattooed on the left side of his forehead. He wore some weird robe with a sash, and a gourd was on his back, completing the trio, each having something on their back, most likely a weapon.

"And who are you?" Naruto stared at the boy, but almost instantly the boy went from hanging in the tree to standing between him and the boy in black.

"Kankuro, stop or I will kill you." The killing intent rose up to a level which Naruto had only felt coming from Zabuza. Kankuro, the boy in black went from angry to frightened in an instant and picked his wrapped weapon up again.

"Sorry…" The boy with red hair turned back to Naruto.

"Who are you?"

"Uzumaki Naruto, and who are you?"

"Gaara of the Desert."

"Why are you here?"

"If you don't know I have no reason to tell you." The boy and his followers walked off, leaving a slightly confused Naruto, three scared out of their minds kids, and a completely confused Hinata who had woken up only to see the red hair kid appear.

_Hm… so people from sand are here? Why would that be…_

* * *

"Chunin exams! You're entering us into the chunin exams! YES!"

"Yes, Naruto. Hinata, Shino and you, Naruto, can come if you want tomorrow. Just fill these sheets out and show up at the room marked tomorrow at the time said. I have faith in all of you, and I know you will do fine. Even if you get out in the first part, just remember that you have a chance every six months."

"Don't worry, sensei. We are all going to get chunin this time. After all, with our awesome cool jutsu, Hinata's speed, Shino's bugs, and my amazing ninja abilities how will we lose?"

"By being overconfident."

"Oh… good point."

Naruto, Shino, and Hinata had all shown up to a team meeting called later that evening by Kurenai. Naruto immediately understood why the sand nin were there and exactly how he was going to get back at them for underestimating him. It really irked him when people did that. Zabuza, Haku, the people on the bridge, and now the sand ninja. But something was stuck in the back of his mind. Something about the boy's presence was vaguely familiar. He was sure he would remember eventually, but until then it just ate away at the back of his mind.

Hinata was excited and scared at the same time about the exams. Naruto thought they could do it, so they could and would. But those sand nin had been… more like the ninja on the bridge then genin. If the test would be filled with people like that she didn't know how well she would do… but then she wouldn't need to pretend to be blind anymore. Naruto would finally get the credit he deserved for his jutsu. And just today he had called her beautiful and hadn't made any moves to reject the idea that she was his girlfriend. No matter how bad the exams were, today made the future seem bright.

Shino knew he was ready. He had been ready for years. His insects even seemed excited, though his own face was as calm as stone. They would do well. They had a secret weapon, and Naruto had more then enough strength to get them out of any situations that might harm them. This would be a test for the team as well as the individuals, and Shino had faith in his teammates and himself. They would indeed do well.

* * *

Naruto walked home with Hinata as the final act of their day long date. After the trouble with sand they had gone off and eaten at some place neither had eaten at before and then they had gone around town, finally reaching the training grounds where they had talked with Kurenai. After that the sun had begun to set and Naruto had hurried to get to the top of the Hokage monument, his only original idea that day. They sat on top of the Forth's head and stared out at the sun setting in the distance. It was as beautiful as Hinata had ever seen and, even though the day had gone by too fast for her, it was the perfect ending to the perfect day.

"Hinata, isn't it great. Tomorrow we get to participate in the chunin exams."

"Hai."

"Are you excited?"

"Ano… hai… but I'm also a little scared…"

"Why?"

"Because… those sand ninja today… they were really strong... they reminded me of Zabuza and Haku in power. People have died in the chunin exams before and I don't want y… my team to get hurt..."

"Hm? Is that all? No, no one in our team is going to get hurt, only people who underestimate us. It is our advantage. Who would think a ninja who always wears orange, a person people call a bug freak, and a blind girl could be threats? No one, that's who. But we are, and they are going to be shocked when they see you, me and Shino in the finals." Hinata smiled at his confidence. It was times like this when she had absolutely no idea why people could hate Naruto. He passed of confidence and friendliness to everyone around him.

"Hai. Naruto-kun… arigato…"

"Arigato? For what?"

"For spending all day with me… and… and… for giving me confidence for the exam…"

"Don't mention it, it was my pleasure."

"Mine too, Naruto-kun…"

AN: Thanks for the reviews! I love reading them!


	10. Words and Woods

AN: Um… I don't know what I said to give the impression that I haven't read the manga up to date, but I have. Sorry for any misconception. Also, sorry for the slightly short chapter last time. I like them to between five and six pages on word in size 8 font, single spaced, and the last one was 4.5 pages. I felt you guys deserved to not have to wait another day for a chapter. If you thought the date scene was not as informative as you would have liked, good. I have no intention of making them confess their love for each other any time soon and, in case I didn't make it clear, they really just hung out. It was a date in name, but really all they did was do what they would do any day they had off without Shino. Don't worry, though. The first real date I make them go out on will be good… and maybe I find a Nara couple to force them to make out in public enough so Kakashi and Kurenai can get a picture. Oh, what fun! Oh, and in case anyone forgot my opening statement of the fic, I don't own Naruto and won't for the duration of this fic at least, most likely the duration of my life. So there…

* * *

Chapter 9: Words and Woods

* * *

Naruto and Hinata left the Hyuga manor early in the morning. They picked up Shino at his house before going to the training grounds to warm up. Naruto practiced with his kunai, which really meant seeing what new test he could train himself to do. He could juggle them at the age of three, but now even the weapon shop owner was amazed at what he could do with them. Really, they were just tricks and had next to no battle value, but they got Naruto concentrating.

Hinata did some stretching and some taijutsu forms without chakra, of course, and polished her headband to make sure no debris got in her way of seeing. She was less nervous then she had been the night before. She had thought she wouldn't get any sleep, but being tired from the land of waves mission and the 'date' the day after had managed to send her off to a dreamless and fulfilling sleep. Now, she was happily watching Naruto and Shino practice. They were a great team, there was no doubt in her mind, and Naruto and Shino were amazing as individuals. Hinata knew Naruto thought she was just as good as them, but she knew they had an advantage over her and it had nothing to do with eyes.

Hinata just wasn't cut out to be a fighter, her mother had told her so. Sure, she could hold her own against most ninja, but one good shot could put her out. _Fragile. That's what some would say. Okaa-san would say delicate, like a flower's petals or a snowflake, but what most would say is "weak". No, stop that Hinata. Naruto and Shino don't think you're weak. Oh, how I hope I don't face either of them in the finals, if I get to the finals..._

Hinata and Naruto had been spectators of the chunin exams in Konoha three years ago. It had been brutal. She knew that her teammates could dish out the pain, just as the people she had seen three years ago had, but Hinata had a problem with seeing herself as she was. It would worry her to no end that she would end up as the weak link in their team and somehow either her team would get hurt or they would hate her for something. She knew her worries were unreasonable deep down inside, but unreasonable worries were the worst kind for her. After all, who would have thought a random ninja would manage to infiltrate the clan house of the "all-seeing" clan and steal a young girl's eyes?

Hinata knew that she wouldn't give up, though, for herself and her team. She would be strong and show everyone that even the most delicate flowers could have thorns. Eventually, she wanted to do something else besides fight with her life. She wanted to… what? She didn't know yet, but she knew that when it happened, she would know what to do.

Shino was merely taking stock of his insects. Making sure he had his entire colony awake and ready to go at a moments notice. He also was working on his mental connection with them. It was a hassle that he had to use chakra to control them in large formations and jutsus while his father didn't even need chakra until he used some of the clan's most powerful jutsus. Shino was working on strengthening the bond he had with his insects. In a sense it looked like he was just sitting next to a tree, but he was in deep concentration and conversing with the hive mind of the insect colony he contained. It was an interesting conversation, to say the least. The colony was as antisocial as he was.

They all left for the academy together and arrived to find a large group of potential chunin outside of room 301, the room that should have been hosting the first part of the exams. The crowd was being held up by two older genins who decided to block the door way. They were using some stupid excuse to hold everyone back. Just as team eight walked up to the door they saw the number change on the room sign to 201 and Sasuke Uchiha attempt a kick at the genin blocking his way. Naruto watched in fascination as a green suited kid blocked both Sasuke's kick and the kick from the other genin.

"Whoa! Hey, Sasuke-teme, who's the bushy brow?" Sasuke just glanced over at him and his team as he dropped his foot to the ground. He was wondering the same thing. It was the green suited kid who spoke first.

"The name is Rock Lee. One of the great beasts of Konoha!" Rock Lee gave off a blinding smile and a thumbs up to Naruto who just stared at the kid.

"Well, my name is Naruto Uzumaki and me and my team need to head up one more floor. I hope you don't lose any speed for the finals, because you look like a tough opponent." Naruto passed by as Sasuke and his team stayed a moment longer. Something about a fight between bushy brows and the teme. It didn't concern him.

Hinata had decided earlier that day to maintain the illusion that she was blind until it was absolutely necessary. It was all a part of trying to keep her ace in the hole until needed, or that's what she told herself and Naruto. But she didn't mind needing to hold his hand either…

They all found themselves in the hallway outside room 301 and spotted Kakashi and Kurenai waiting at the door.

"Ah, I see your students found their way. Now if only mine would show up…"

"Kakashi, face it. My students are just so much better then yours…"

"KURENAI-SENSEI!"

"In everything but volume. Hello Naruto. Hinata. Shino."

"Hello, sensei."

"…"

"Well, you three look ready to go. The first part of the exam will start in… just a few minutes. Good luck." With that, Kurenai vanished. Kakashi sighed.

"So, did you see my team on your way?"

"Yeah, they're coming. Sasuke stopped to fight some Lee character, but they'll be here soon."

"Lee… Rock Lee, Gui's student?"

"Huh?"

"Does he have a weird hair cut, thick eye brows, a near blinding smile, and a tight green suit?"

"Yep, that's the one!"

"Oh great… Sasuke can't beat that kid right now…"

"Huh, why not?"

"Rock Lee is a genius in his own right, not like Sasuke, but the kid is the hardest working ninja in Konoha without a doubt. And… damn is he fast."

"Hm… yeah, I think we saw that. Well, see ya later Kakashi-sensei." With a wave he went back to his book and team eight walked though the door. Inside was not what they expected.

The place was filled to the brim with ninja from every part of the globe. Naruto noticed the suna ninja right off, but there were some from rain, grass, cloud, and even a new village called sound. They all looked tough. Naruto smirked. They might look tough, but he _was _tough.

"Naruto, Hinata, Shino!" The team turned to see a blond haired ninja running towards them, followed by a thin guy with dark hair and a rather plump guy with brown hair. Naruto immediately recognized them, which was good because Hinata was too shy and keeping under cover while Shino probably didn't even care to remember their names.

"Ino, Shikamaru, Choji. How did you guys get in here?" Naruto snickered at them. Shikamaru was known to be the absolutely most lazy person in their class. If someone could work hard at being lazy, Shikamaru would get hired in a second. He would spend hours just dozing off looking at the clouds, next to his best friend Choji who would not doze off, but chow down on various junk foods, mainly chips. Naruto had been forced to learn about both of their clans as a young kid, and didn't blame Choji at all for his need for food. The girl, Ino, was always a Sasuke fan during the academy days and just plain got on Naruto's nerves. Anyone _that_ addicted to the ice block known as Sasuke had to have had a few to many bumps to the head. But, he wasn't one to hold grudges.

"We got in here the same way you did, through the door." Shikamaru looked like he would collapse any second from boredom.

"Shikamaru means that Azuma nominated us for entrance and we all showed up. He had to bribe these two bums with free food and a day off of training, but we're here, none the less. Hey, Hinata. How are you today?"

"Ano… fine?"

"Oh, that's good." Ino was a tad bit shallow at times, but she was caring at heart. She didn't understand how Hinata could be a ninja while being blind, and ever since Hinata had come into the class and Ino had gotten over the initial shock of Hinata's eyes being gone she had tried to not seem rude or disrespectful. Hinata just wished she would stop alluding to it. Naruto knew that that was what Hinata wanted too.

"So if you guys are here, and Sasuke's team is on its way…" Ino squealed at this information. Naruto sighed. "… then that means the entire graduating class from a couple months ago is in the chunin exam. That must be some kind of record."

"You're right Naruto." Choji had his mouth stuffed with chips, but quickly swallowed. "Even if we are going to be going against each other in the test, this is probably the first time nine rookies have gotten in the exams."

"Choji, there was probably a reason for not letting rookies in. Look around, all these troublesome ninja… each one is probably more powerful than three of us."

"Speak for yourself, lazy ass." Ino crossed her arms and frowned, but instantly turned it into a smile when she saw Sasuke, Sakura, and Kiba sprint in through the door out of breath.

"SASUKE-KUN!" Naruto snickered as Sasuke was almost knocked to the ground by the female ninja that had just shown an amazing amount of speed. Hinata had to suppress a giggle as Ino cuddled an unwilling Sasuke while Sakura fumed. Kiba noticed her and began to walk over, but, possibly unwittingly, Naruto saved her the trouble of turning him down again. He got in the way of Kiba and faced Sasuke as he not so gently pushed Ino away.

"Hey, Sasuke-teme. You ready for this?"

"Dobe, it isn't like anyone here stands a chance against me." Naruto immediately took that as a challenge.

"Yeah right, teme. I would bet one of your fan girls that more members of my team get into the finals then your team."

"That bet would only work, dobe, if you had any fan girls to offer me when you lose." Sasuke smirked at Naruto who just smirked back. Nope, definitely not friendship, but it wasn't out right hatred either. Normally Naruto would pounce at the person who had insulted him, but he knew that this wasn't the time or place to do it. And, besides, Sasuke might be a teme in front of the rest of the people, but Naruto thought he had potential as a friend… at least on the land of waves mission he had thought so. Besides… he had walked into that one.

The entire rookie nine was silent as Naruto and Sasuke stared at each other. Most expected Naruto to explode, but none expected him to do what he did. He stopped smirking and gave a large smile before sticking out his hand for a hand shake.

"Alright then, teme. Good luck!" Everyone just stared at the two. Sasuke was wearing a face that barely betrayed a sense of shock. He had always been able to goad the blond into a fight in the academy and on the mission they had done together. The shock made him crack his self imposed image of the cool guy and, instead of brushing his hand away with a sneer, he took it.

"May the best ninja win, dobe."

"Sounds like a plan, teme. See you in the winners circle... below me, of course."

"Well, well, well. Rookies!" The group turned to see a grey haired boy a few years older then them approaching. He had glasses that balanced on the tip of his nose and wore a Konoha headband. Naruto immediately tensed. People as old as him probably knew about his… tenant.

"The name's Kabuto. Nice to meet you. I assume that you are Sasuke Uchiha, the number one of your class?"

"Hai… what is it to you?"

"I was just surprised to see you all in the exams. This is my seventh time taking it. After three and a half years I still haven't passed. But failing has actually helped me, in some regards." It was Sakura who answered him. Naruto was already bored with the guy who was obviously acting like he was happy, while hiding some other emotion deep down inside. Naruto had done the same thing many times. But whether the emotion hidden was anger, hatred, sadness, or some other emotion, Naruto had no idea. Either way, he led his team to a less crowded corner of the room.

"Shino, Hinata, ready to use the jutsu?"

"Hai."

"Hai, Naruto-kun."

"Go."

To the standard observer it looked like a team pep talk or something along those lines, with each of the members having one of their hands on the other two's heads. It was over in an instant, not one person noticing.

_Hinata-chan, just checking the connection._

_Naruto-kun, I can understand fine…_ Deeper then was readable by the jutsu she was thinking about why Naruto called her chan in his thoughts. It wasn't exactly like speaking, more like sending ideas directly into a mind. She figured they must actually be his inner thoughts on her, and it made her blush.

_Shino here, I hear you both perfectly well. Now let's concentrate on acting normal._

_Hai._

_Hai._

The team stood in their corner and observed each of the other teams. They were all older, but that didn't make them better. Naruto pointed out to Shino in his mind the team from sand that he knew to be trouble. If at all possible they wanted to avoid that team. While they were looking for strong people, they saw Kabuto get attacked by three genin from sound. He had apparently dodged the attack, but still collapsed to the ground.

_That attack… what was it?_

_Naruto, they are using sound._

_What?_

_The attack involved very high pitched sound that affected Kabuto's inner ear, causing him to vomit like that. My insects picked up the sound._

_But… I couldn't hear it…_

_No human can hear a pitch that high, just be careful around them and don't get close._

_Hai. Got that Hinata-chan. _

_Hai, Naruto-kun…_

Hinata was concentrating on clearing her head. Over the past few days her sight of chakra had become more defined. It was interesting, that was for sure. She had seen the sound ninja use his technique on Kabuto and noticed how she could _see_ the attack even though it should have been invisible. She didn't want to bother Naruto or Shino with it right now. After all, it wasn't really a bad thing. It was actually pretty helpful. She could even see chakra through walls, to an extent. Or, at least that was what she thought she was seeing. There certainly was a lot of chakra signatures in the hall way.

Just as she was about to turn to look out the window the door opened and a large group of jonin and chunin walked into the room.

"Listen up, kids. This exam takes place on my time and I move quickly. Come forward and get a number that should tell you what seat you are going to be in for the first part of the test."

* * *

This was crap. Crap, crap, crap. Naruto was bored out of his mind. It had only taken his team a combined time of three minutes to figure out the purpose of the written test. Shino had started gathering answers from Sakura Haruno, the number one academy student grade wise, but his bugs soon found a chunin plant that had all of the answers done already. Now, with twenty minutes to go, each member of his team had the correct answers on their paper and were just staring into space. Naruto had almost started napping, but had stopped when Shino had warned him that the mind connection would break if he did that. Naruto reluctantly agreed to stay awake, and in his free time he was playing word games with Hinata and Shino. Shino was, surprisingly, very good. Naruto had figured that, for someone who never really talked, he wouldn't have as large of vocabulary. But Shino and Hinata had beaten him for ten minutes straight.

They had switched games later and had started games of hangman. Naruto figured the instructor who checked their sheets would be confused how there were complete games of hangman on his paper, considering that it took more then one person to play. Once again, though, Hinata and Shino beat him. It seemed like Naruto could only succeed as a ninja.

_Don't say that Naruto-kun, you are good at a lot of things._

_Sure, Hinata-chan. At least one person besides me thinks I am good at something…_

_Naruto, you shouldn't get yourself down. Just because we both have higher developed language abilities then yourself does not mean that you are merely an ignorant child._

_Ano… ok?_

_He didn't understand me, did he?_

_Shino, don't make fun of Naruto-kun._

_Fine, it was a joke, Naruto. You are indeed good at many things._

_Like making people laugh._

_Strategy._

_Being Kind._

_You're understanding._

_You're brave._

_You're a good friend._

_You're handsome… I mean… ano…_

_Arigato guys, it means a lot._

_Good._

Naruto looked down and to his right from his seat in the near middle of the room and saw a beet red blushing Hinata. He smiled a little before facing straight ahead again.

_Just fifteen minutes to go. You would think that they could come up with a better way to determine who gets chunin. A written test… I thought I was done with those when I graduated._

_Naruto-kun, I think this is just the first test of many…_

_You mean there are MORE of these!_

_No, Naruto, she means that there are going to be different kinds of tests. The finals are one on one fights, but between then and now they could ask us to do anything. The sheet we signed said so._

_Oh… is that what it said? I just signed it._

_Naruto-kun, you shouldn't sign things without reading them. It might have said something about taking all of your money._

_Nani?_

_Naruto, it was an analogy._

_There you guys go with the big words again._

If sighs could be heard across thoughts, Naruto would have sworn that he heard one from Shino. He did hear an audible giggle from Hinata. Naruto was putting a large stopper on any thoughts that might include his female teammate and betrothed. It was hard enough to keep thoughts like, "Damn, she looks good!" out of his head without her giggling and making him think all the more about how damn cute she was when she did that.

_Only twelve minutes to go._

_Now don't start that again, Naruto._

_Start what again, Shino?_

_That._

_What?_

_You know exactly what I mean._

_I don't have a clue what you're talking about._

_Naruto… if I must gone through the next eleven minutes and thirty seconds like this I will go insane._

_Let's all just rest our minds for a bit._

_Sounds good._

_Hai._

Instantly, three potential chunins closed their eyes and put down their pencils. Time to wait.

* * *

"Question 10, fools. But first, the last rule."

Time had run out and there were still over one hundred ninja left in the room. Of course, they thinned considerably due to the last rule. The exam director made sure of that. The last rule was that if you took the last question and got it wrong, you would stay a genin for the rest of your life, never able to take the exam again. But you could drop out now if you wanted to. Amazingly, not one of the rookie nine had been eliminated in the test and not one team looked ready to get out. Sakura looked nervous, but if Sasuke wasn't going to give in then he would just get angry at her if she quit. Kiba was too confident to give up. Ino saw that Sasuke was staying and decided to stay too. Shikamaru, the one most likely to just give up, didn't even flinch. It was as if he knew something everyone else didn't. Choji figured that if Shikamaru would stick it through, so could he.

Then there was Naruto, Hinata and Shino. With the mind link they shared they all told each other that there as no way they would lose the last question, no matter what it was. Hinata was worried, but not for herself. She was afraid that if she got it wrong Naruto would be penalized and then he would not be able to become Hokage. He assured her that, not only would she get the answer right, but even if they were penalized he would still become Hokage. After all, there weren't any rules saying you needed to be a certain rank to be Hokage.

They were all pleasantly surprised by the actual concept of the question. Naruto was slightly shocked, but noticed Shikamaru smirking. Naruto immediately rethought his opinion of the black haired ninja. If he had figured out that one… well, he must be smart. After a brief explanation of the last question and of the test in general, Shino had been right about the cheating nature of the test, the window was shattered by what appeared at first to be a ball of cloth. When the person landed in the room in front of a large poster and announced that the second part of the test would begin, Naruto and his team were ready. They were ready for anything.

* * *

78 genin were left after the first test. According to the minimally dressed but very scary lady that led them to the next testing site, she would cut the numbers at least in half. The jonin Anko reminded Naruto less of Kurenai then of the Gaara guy that was still in the running. He had never expected the sand team to actually get out on the first test. He could tell that they were strong and probably expected something like that.

Minutes after the first test had been finished they had all arrived at the gates to training grounds 44, the forest of death. If it hadn't been for the fact that he was surrounded by people who would probably turn out to be his enemies he would have laughed at the name. No originality at all. His team was going to rock at this test.

"… and rule number three, you can not open the scrolls before you reach the tower."

"Yeah yeah, just give use the scrolls already and let us at it!" Naruto instantly regretted saying that as the scary lady with no actual shirt on and only a very limited trench coat over her… assets, threw a kunai that barely grazed his cheek. Instantly she was behind Naruto and licking the small drizzle of blood.

"Mmm… young blood is always the first to be shed…" As she said this the cut on his cheek went from scratch to nothing. In the span of two seconds the scratch disappeared, leaving only the trademark whisker marks. Anko looked surprised at first, but then merely let go of him to spin around and face a grass ninja holding her first kunai with an abnormally long tongue. Naruto shivered at the lingering feeling of her tongue on his face, but got over it and mentally noted to never, ever piss the woman off again.

"Alright, the scrolls will be handed out in the hut over there. Line up and then go to your assigned gate." The woman licked her lips once more and glanced at Naruto. He met her eye contact with his own stare before she smirked and walked away.

* * *

"Go!" With an announcement over the speaker system the gate opened in front of team eight and they were off.

_Alright, Naruto, Hinata. The key is just to get the earth scroll while keeping our heaven scroll. So I say we jump through the trees as high up as we can until we get closer to the tower._

_Alright Shino. That's a good idea._

All three of the ninja immediately ran up the side of the nearest tree till they reached the highest branches that would be safe to jump from. Then they started off again. It was a simple matter of getting ten kilometers into a forest, and they had a river to follow. It would be easy. They were approaching the tower from the north and sticking to the river side trees. That way an attack couldn't come from their left.

After nearly half a day of tree jumping they took a break. Each just sat on a tree branch and listened for any movement.

"Shino, Hinata. You know, we should be getting pretty close to the tower by now. When we get there we should set up traps to catch a team unprepared and take their scroll. After all, if that is the ultimate goal, then that is where all the teams are going to be going eventually, right?"

"Makes sense."

"Hai, good idea, Naruto-kun."

"Alright, it's a plan then. Let's get there as fast as we can so that we…"

"Ahhhhh!" The entire team was suddenly on guard. A very human scream had just pierced the forest.

"You think some other team just bought it?"

"Naruto-kun, we should go see who it was at least. Maybe they have the earth scroll."

"Ok, sounds good. Let's go before they attract more attention to themselves."

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha was having a very, very bad day. Kiba had gone missing after a large wind produced by some stupid ass grass ninja calling himself Orochimaru. Then Kiba had come back covered in snake guts and his beast clone behind him. They had tried attacking the grass ninja, but had only managed to knock themselves unconscious. Sakura was frightened out of her mind and Sasuke was having trouble comprehending how the hell this guy was a genin. His sharingan was spinning fast and he felt his chakra draining as he attempted attack after attack at the guy. At least his fire attacks hit him. Apparently he either didn't care about being hit by a giant fire ball or he had never learned whatever Naruto had that made his fireball ineffective.

Still, it looked pretty hopeless when his opponent caught his very best plan of attack in his mouth and then shrugged off one of his best fire jutsus in his face. Sasuke was running out of chakra fast and knew, deep down, that whoever the bastard in front of him was, he would be his death…

At least, that was what he though until he saw an orange and yellow blur smash the ninja in the face off of the branch. Instantly he was surrounded by a shield of spinning… black things. It took him a moment in his exhaustion to see that it was a shield of insects and that not only were they protecting him and Sakura, but Kiba had also appeared, being carried on the back of the blind Hyuga. He didn't even think about how she was navigating by herself through the forest, he was far to tired to do that. Before he passed out, he saw Naruto and the grass ninja fighting each other through the shield. It shouldn't have been possible.

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki was having a very good day. His team had managed to come across a team of ninja almost completely dead from Konoha leaches. They had picked up their earth scroll, removed the leaches from the ninjas and helped them to a safe spot and then left. It wasn't until Shino told him that there was some fighting going on near where they were that Naruto even stopped grinning like a mad man. He figured that they could take a few moments out of their day to see what was up, despite Shino's comments about finishing the mission right then.

"_Naruto, we have both scrolls. If we leave now we will make it to the tower in record time!"_

"_Yeah, but at what cost. What if it is some of our friends out there fighting? If they died when we could help them… I don't want that burden. Besides, it would benefit us in the long run to have people we know in the finals. It is much easier to fight someone when you know how they fight."_

"…_that is a good point… very well."_

"_Alright, show us the way to go!"_

When he had seen team seven on their last legs he didn't even think, he just knew what to do. After performing a quick shadow clone jutsu and ordering his teammates to protect the other team he decked the stupid snake man in his jaw, and he felt it break. Oh, how good that felt. The ninja he hit fell through the branches, but before getting out of sight he was grabbed by three clones and thrown back at two of Naruto's other clones. Apparently the ninja had gotten over his shock at having his jaw being broken and in mid-flight he spun around and kicked both clones out of existence.

"Hmm… and who are you? Another mouse for me to devour?"

"Mouse? No, just ask my friends. I am a fox! And you look like a snake, but fox beats snake easily!" Orochimaru frowned at that comment, not knowing the basis behind it. Naruto started to charge the ninja again, and the snake ninja also charged. They were about to meet when Orochimaru was blasted from the side by two more of Naruto's clones in the ribs and head. A lesser ninja would have died. Orochimaru suddenly realized that he better start actually paying attention to the fight or he might possibly get hurt. Nothing his medic ninja couldn't fix, but still it was troublesome to break one's jaw.

Before he actually had the chance to unleash some of his massive strength, he saw exactly what he didn't want to. Standing in the tree tops behind the little blond haired brat were at least ten of the most powerful jonin in Konoha. Kakashi, Kurenai, Azuma, Anko, Ibiki, and various others that he knew to be dangerous all stood with frowns on their faces. Orochimaru hadn't even gotten a chance to mark the Uchiha yet. Damn it!

"It looks like I must retreat for now…" Orochimaru knew he would probably be able to defeat all of the ninja above him, but it would take time that he knew he didn't have. And in that time people might come that he wouldn't be able to fight with the rest of them combined. The snake ninja sunk into the ground with a sneer, vowing revenge on the brat with whiskers… whiskers…

_Oh, so that is what he is. Now I understand his chakra level. Well, the Kyuubi brat will die… or maybe I'll just experiment on him. But the Uchiha… he is destined to be mine…_

After the ninja had left completely and been gone for a few minutes Naruto released his henges and clones. The jonin in the trees instantly turned into Naruto shadow clones and then into smoke. He turned and smiled at Sasuke, who was trying to catch his breath. Sakura was staring open mouthed at the ground the snake had sunk into. Kiba… was still unconscious.

"Well Sasuke, it looks like he got scared away by little old me."

"You mean he was too busy trying to kill us to notice the jonin in the trees were just clones."

"That's what I said!"

"Whatever… dobe."

"Oh well, saved your ass. Come on, Hinata and Shino. We need to head off if we want to finish this sucker."

"Wait!" Naruto turned to see Sasuke on his knees and trying to stand. "Aren't you… going to try to take our scroll?"

"Nope, got two already. See you in the finals!" With that the blond haired enigma and his team vanished into the tree tops, leaving a still staring Sakura, unconscious Kiba, and confused and angry Sasuke. All he could think of was how the dobe had gotten a scroll that fast. _Probably it was just dumb luck... probably..._

* * *

Naruto pushed open the massive doors to the tower just as his watch said midnight. He still had a grin on. His team had just wiped the floor with a team from sand that wasn't the one with Gaara. They had tried to take a scroll, but Hinata had been the one with the scrolls. They assumed that because the headband blocked her vision of them that she wouldn't notice them. They were sadly mistaken when two of them found themselves with one punctured lung and busted ribs while the other would forever have an intense fear of insects… enough said. Naruto shivered at the memory of the insects crawling over the screaming ninja until he stopped from unconsciousness or from finding out that opening one's mouth while covered in insects was a bad thing. In seconds his chakra was depleted enough that he went into a deep sleep while his two partners met unconsciousness in a more painful way, by Naruto's fist.

They walked into the dimly lit tower and Naruto pumped his fist into the air. They only saw one other team on their way to the top. Gaara's team appeared to have already finished a while ago and they were resting on the floor. Except for Gaara. Gaara stood, leaning against a wall as stiff as a board. His eyes followed Naruto as his team entered the final chamber of the tower. Hinata read the poster in the room.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"There are words missing, Naruto-kun."

"We should open the scrolls, Naruto."

"Alright, the let's do it." Naruto tossed the heaven scroll to Hinata and he held the earth scroll. "Ready, set… go."

Both of them opened their scrolls to find an interesting seal in each, with the kanji for 'person' in the middle. As they began to smoke Naruto grabbed Hinata's scroll, thinking they might explode, and threw them at the ground across the room. The smoke kept rising and rising until it began to clear. When it cleared there was none other then Iruka standing on the scrolls.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto called over to him with a wave. Hinata stared at him, wondering how they had summoned Iruka with the scrolls. Shino just watched, as usual.

"Naruto? Hinata and Shino, too? Wow, you made it in great time. And it looks like the only one even scratched up is Naruto, as usual."

"Hey, Iruka-sensei, I had to fight a really good guy."

"He's right, Iruka-sensei. Naruto-kun barely fought off a crazy man with a long tongue that was trying to kill Sasuke!"

"What is that, Hinata?" Iruka went silent for a few seconds, lost in thought. Then he just gave them a smile.

"Well, at least you are here safe and sound. Good job. You arrived the first day, so you get four days to rest until the third part of the test." Naruto sighed. A few days rest? He was ready to go, now.

"So, Naruto. How are you doing as a team? How is you jutsu working out?"

"Oh, everything is fine. The Hokage has is now, it's finished. After this exam the Hokage is allowed to let people besides ANBU learn it. We rock as a team. Hinata and Shino are super strong ninja and I… well I can hold my own."

"Naruto is being modest. He defeated a jonin level ninja on our last mission."

"Really? You all will have to tell me all about it over a bowl of ramen after the third test."

"ALRIGHT! FREE RAMEN ON IRUKA-SENSEI!" Iruka shock his head with a smile. Naruto might change in little ways, but he never lost his love for ramen or his energetic attitude. Or… that's what he thought until Naruto just decided to take a nap in the middle of the floor. His teammates just stared at him for a second as if he was joking, but then they thought about how much chakra he had used to hold up bunshins and henges at the same time combined with fighting.

"I guess he is tired…"

"Naruto-kun…"

"Well, at least he is quieter like this…"

"Shino, that wasn't very nice."

"But it was true, Hinata. Even you must notice that it is, indeed, quieter."

"Yes, but…"

"Hinata, no matter what I say, you and Naruto are still my friends and teammates."

"Alright, Shino…"

"Well, you three need a place to stay. Down one floor you should find room number 2, the key to it is right here, it has three beds so get some rest. I need to go back to headquarters and wait for the next team to arrive."

"Bye, sensei."

"Rest well." Iruka waved as Hinata and Shino carefully picked Naruto up by his arms and slowly walked down the stairs. The genin always grew up so fast. First they learn to be ninja, then they do their d ranked missions, then they kill jonin level ninja...

Wait a minute...

"A Jonin level ninja? What the hell is with Kurenai, or the Hokage for that matter? From Kakashi I would expect this, but from Kurenai..."

As Iruka ranted on about the insanity of the situation, team eight was walking towards their room. They might not have had a scratch, but their legs were tired enough. They found room 2 and immediately put Naruto on his bed, where Hinata tucked him in, and then went to sleep. It was a record time, under 12 hours, yet Gaara's team had been faster. But then again, none of them really cared at that moment. They had made it to the third test.

* * *

AN: Like the soon update? Me too. Thanks for the reviews.


	11. Battle Ready

AN: One on One fights here we come. Don't own Naruto. Blah blah… and so forth. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Without reviews I would have little motivation to update as much as I do.

* * *

Chapter 10: Battle Ready

* * *

"Anko-san." Anko Mitarashi stood in front of a series of monitors that showed multiple views of key areas in training area 44, the "Forest of Death". She turned towards the unfamiliar voice to find a chunin academy teacher with a scar across his face run up to her. _That scar is kinda… cute…_

"I am Anko, who are you?"

"Iruka Umino, I teach at the academy, but that isn't important right now. I just talked with the Hokage, and he said I should talk to you."

"Hmm? What can I… help you with?" Anko smiled seductively and winked at Iruka, though he just stared, open mouthed, at her. He suddenly shook his head to clear it and then was instantly serious again.

"Ano… well. Hokage-sama told me you had found evidence of Orochimaru's presence in the forest. I have just cleared a group of genin who said they saved Uchiha Sasuke from a very powerful man with an extremely long tongue. From what they said, and the fact that Orochimaru is here, I have reason to believe he was, and is, after Sasuke." Anko's face had gone from seductive to deathly serious at the mention of her old sensei's name. Very horrible memories came to her mind that she had managed to block out until just the day before, when she had found a team from grass missing their faces. And the ninja with the tongue… he had been so close… again.

"Yes, we have evidence that Orochimaru is here. But as for going after the Uchiha, well…"

"I really don't have anything to go off of except the eye witness accounts of three twelve year olds, but if Orochimaru is going after our youth, what are we going to do about it?" Anko noticed Iruka looked very tired and angry at the same time.

_He hates Orochimaru that much? No, he doesn't even know him. All he knows is that someone is going after the children he taught. He must care about each and every student he has ever had. He's a good man._ Anko gave him a nudge with her elbow.

"Well, that's not a problem, is it? I mean, you taught them, right? So they must be strong. You did teach them to be strong, right?"

"…Hai."

"Then no worries. We are going to catch the snake and kill him soon anyway. Now, if you don't mind me asking… where did you get the sweet scar?"

Iruka looked surprised and slightly embarrassed. "Sweet? I don't know about that… I received it in the Kyuubi attack twelve years ago. I was still in the academy at the time, but I attempted to defend my home while my mother gathered some things and father fought with the rest of the ninjas. One of the beast's great fire balls blew most of my neighborhood into oblivion, including my home and my mother inside of in. A piece of hot metal slashed me in the explosion, and when I woke up my mother and father were both gone." Iruka's face was not filled with sadness, but with determination. "This scar reminds me that I always need to become a greater ninja."

"But, you are still a chunin?" Anko was surprised to see Iruka smile slyly.

"Chunin is... just a rank. I love to help the children better themselves so that they will never need to go through what I had to."

"Wow, that's a much more noble reason for life then mine."

"May I ask what yours is? I am sure it isn't all that…"

"Revenge."

"Pardon?"

"I want revenge." Iruka cringed before asking his next question.

"On the Kyuubi?"

"No."

"Oh?"

"I want revenge on the bastard we were just talking about. My former sensei, Orochimaru." Iruka stared at her.

"It's none of my business, I know, but what did he do to you, besides the usual, I mean…"

"I was an experiment of his… even when he was still with Konoha. I only just joined Konoha six or so years ago, he found me and acted like an older brother or something. That bastard… I don't really want to talk about it…"

"That's ok, you don't need to tell me if you don't want…"

"No, I need to." Anko grabbed his wrist in an iron grip and dragged him into the halls similar to how Naruto would often drag Hinata around, with his feet barely managing to keep up. _What am I doing? Why the hell do I think this man will even care? Why am I willing to risk it and tell him? And why am I still dragging him when I just gave myself a good reason to let it drop? _As for Iruka, he was too stunned to speak as he was almost thrown into what he assumed to be Anko's room. Hell, he had only just met the woman! She motioned for him to sit in the one chair and she sat down on her bed, the trench coat she wore barely covering the essentials. Iruka wasn't thinking about that though, despite some people's belief that he must be a closet pervert for never going on dates. The woman across from him looked in distress, and if there was one thing he hated to see it was a woman in distress.

"What is it, Anko-san?"

"I…I don't know. I just feel like I can trust you. The only one who knows about this is the Hokage, but it isn't a village secret or anything, just my own. But I really feel that I need to let this go. Can I trust you?" She looked desperate and Iruka nodded. "Good. Ok, the beginning. I don't remember much about what happened in my early life, but I was found one day by Orochimaru… I was alone and he invited me to go with him. His face… looking back at it, I knew he wasn't trustworthy in the first place. But I went with him to a base, which was in reality a secret lab. There were fifty other kids around, not starving like I was, so I assumed the man was simply nice. I was the oldest one there, nine years old. Basically we had one large room to run around in and play in. No one seemed to notice when one or another never came back from talking with the master. One day he took the oldest ten of us and branded us with a seal. The heaven's seal." Anko pulled down her shirt's collar and turned her neck to Iruka. Defiling the skin of her neck was three blades that seemed to radiate an evil aura, something that Iruka had never really thought could happen until the Kyuubi had proved it possible. It seemed that merely letting it into the air caused her pain.

"Despite its name, there is nothing divine about it. Out of the ten branded, only I survived. After that the bastard never left me alone. I was the success, the one who had proven his theories. So, naturally he paid special attention to me. He trained me as an apprentice, taught me to fight… taught me to kill… But I hated it. I never wanted to kill anyone, I just wanted to live life without the loneliness I had had before he came along. When I would refuse to kill or draw out the power of the seal he would beat me. He only beat me until I was fifteen… I guess it was kami's blessing he didn't do it before then… from that day forward if I didn't do as he said he would… he would…"

"That bastard."

"Yeah. Either him or one of his henchmen…" Anko shivered at the thoughts she had buried deep down, further then she had ever wanted to return to. She sat where she was, looking down at her legs until she saw small spatters of moisture on her skirt. _What? Am I… am I crying? I haven't cried in years and now is not the time!_ But despite her thoughts, her tears continued to flow. Suddenly she felt an arm around her shoulders, but instead of beheading the person who would dare have the gall to watch her cry she felt instantly more secure. She turned her body and began to cry into the shoulder that seemed to be giving her its warmth and comfort.

"You know, Anko. It wasn't your fault. Some people who go through the same things you have gone through assume everyone will hate them when people find out. Like love is determined by the past evils done by others upon you. You should have a long talk with Naruto Uzumaki…"

"Th…the Kyuubi brat?"

"…Yeah, but he doesn't like that name. It's basically the same. Why would his adopted family stop loving him for something done to him, not by him. It is an injustice that anyone would think worse about him for what burdens he carries, instead he should be held up as an example of courage and bravery. Just like you. You carry weight on your shoulders that no one should ever have to carry, and no one can look down on you in anger or pity. You are strong. And, maybe one day, you can find some one to share your burden with, like Naruto has…"

* * *

"I'm bored."

"Thank you for telling us again, it, after all, has been only twenty seconds since you last informed us on your status."

"Shino…"

"It was a joke, Hinata."

"Hey, I know! Let's explore!"

"E…explore? Ano…"

"What's wrong, Hinata?"

Naruto, Hinata, and Shino were sitting on the ceiling of their room, training chakra control and stamina by just sitting and talking while defying gravity. Hinata was thinking about what they would do if they met another ninja team that had finished, specifically Gaara's team. He was scary, she knew he was as powerful as Naruto was when Naruto got angry and started leaking his special chakra, but Gaara seemed to always be angry and leaking special chakra. The air around him was filled with swirling, angry red chakra. Where most people kept their chakra glowing in their bodies, or, like Naruto, overflowing slightly on their skin's surface, Gaara seemed ready and willing to kill in an instant.

"Ano… what about… the rules…"

"Hinata, even I must agree with Naruto. There were no rules about staying in our room until the third part of the test. Or do you mean the one about engaging in fighting outside of the tests…"

"Hai."

"Hm? Oh, I get it. Gaara. Yeah, well, we will just make sure that we avoid them. Come on, Hinata. It will be fun!"

"Ano…"

"Please?" Naruto's face was suddenly inches from hers. She froze, wondering if one of her dreams was coming true. When he didn't move she realized that his face wasn't ready to kiss, it was begging her to go. She still couldn't move with him that close. She would only need to lean forward an inch and then their lips would be touching…

Hinata felt dizzy between her thoughts and Naruto's nearness. She tried to scoot backwards a little and catch her breath, but the instant her legs left the "ground" she fell to the bed below. Naruto, shocked, also fell. Only Shino still sat on the ceiling.

"So will you go with us, Hinata?" Naruto had taken her falling to the bed as a cue that she was ready to go. Hinata, on the other hand, was still speechless and merely nodded. Shino sighed from his spot on the ceiling and walked calmly down the wall to the floor. Hinata would need to get over that issue if she ever wanted Naruto to figure out how she felt.

Naruto flung open the door to find two people who he considered opposites. The freaky lady from the entrance to the forest stood directly in front of Iruka.

"Hello, scary lady. Hey sensei!" Naruto leaned around Anko to wave at Iruka. He gave a small wave and a smile back.

"Naruto, we need to talk to you and your team, if that would be ok?" Iruka was speaking for the pair after convincing Anko that the students trusted him. And at least some of them, Naruto in particular, didn't just obey authority.

"Sure, sensei." He let them both inside and sat next to the red Hinata, who had been slowly regaining her original skin color until Naruto had decided to sit so close to her… that was, until he got to his feet and jumped to the wall and walked to the ceiling where he sat down. Shino joined him and Hinata followed soon after.

"You guys know that skill already?" Iruka looked shocked and Anko looked slightly surprised. Naruto just smiled at them.

"Nope, this is all an optimal confusion."

"Optical illusion."

"Kuso!"

"N… Naruto-kun?"

"Sorry."

Anko and Iruka shared a glance before smirking at the group above them. They were definitely a team if they could go through the forest and pass it in a day, but there was more then companionship here.

"Naruto, Hinata, Shino. This is Anko, a jonin…"

"Yeah, we met." Naruto smiled at her.

"Oh, well ok. She wants to know everything you can tell us about the man you guys defeated to save Sasuke Uchiha's team."

"The snake guy?"

"Snake guy?"

"Yeah, he moved and acted like a snake, it was weird. He was strong, but we surprised him. Hinata rescued Kiba and Shino protected them all. I… well I fought him. I could tell something was weird about him, when he sunk into the ground and all. And to correct you, I didn't defeat him. I scared him away with some of my clones, which I had made before the fight started and henged into powerful jonins, one of which was you, scary lady."

"Anko-sama, to you."

"Fine, but after he saw all of my henged clones he sunk into the ground and disappeared. I did break his jaw before he went."

"Really? So, what was he doing right before your team jumped in?"

"Anko-sama, it is in my insect's opinion that the evil man had the same aura as your own, but you lack his blood thirstiness." Anko's frown deepened. It had to have been him. "He was attempting to bite Sasuke, is my belief. My insects recognized the build up of chakra in the man's mouth around his teeth. Anko first looked shocked at this, then angry, then worried.

"Thanks, I appreciate the info. Iruka, let's go."

"Where are you going, sensei? A date?" Iruka and Anko froze as they walked out the door before continuing out and shutting the door. Hinata giggled. Shino sighed. Naruto looked confused.

* * *

"That bastard…"

"What… what is it, Anko-san? What about biting him? What does that mean?"

"That's how he applies the heaven's seal! If he comes back for Sasuke right now, when his team is weak, after realizing that the jonin he saw weren't actually there then we will either have a dead genin on our hands or an unstable one!" Anko kicked down the door to the Hokage's chambers.

"There are door knobs on the doors here for a reason, Anko."

"Hokage-sama, Orochimaru is attempting to give the curse seal of heaven to Uchiha Sasuke!"

"What?"

"The history that kid has is exactly what Orochimaru wants in a ninja! One of the great blood lines and filled with anger… or at least pain! If we don't call off this exam Uchiha Sasuke is almost guaranteed to either die by Orochimaru's hand or go insane!" The Hokage sat back in his chair. He had been hoping that Orochimaru was merely trying to recruit ninjas, which, although a serious offence, would be something that the city could handle.

"Your seal… how is it?"

"It… it has been acting up a bit over the past day… ever since I smelled Orochimaru's foul stench."

"I can tell…"

"Will some one please explain what is so bad about this curse seal? Anko-san has it, and besides the high chance of death from receiving it I know nothing about what it does."

"Iruka, the fact you know anything about any of this is something that should not have happened. The fact Anko has the curse seal is a class A secret…"

"One which I chose to tell him."

"Very well, your choice. The curse seal in question basically feeds off of emotional trouble in the soul and uses that to fuel itself. When activated it will gift the user with an enormous amount of energy. But, the energy comes with a cost. The seal basically changes the mind of the sealed to be more aggressive, more prone to kill without or with provocation, and basically can turn the most harmless into a killer."

"But Anko-san has it and has obviously overcome it, right?"

The Hokage and the jonin shared a glance that meant that Iruka was not being told everything.

"Yes… she no longer has some of the issues with the seal…"

"What does that mean, Hokage-sama? She obviously isn't a mass murderer. Sure, she is the second in command of the interrogation section of ANBU, but she isn't going around killing people who look at her funny… right?"

"Ano… Iruka… I... it isn't that I have beaten the seal… it effectively can't be beaten completely. It is as permanent as the past, unchangeable. I still have the urges… which is why I was put into interrogation of people thought to contain little important information, so if I suddenly go out of my mind I won't be harming the village. If someone looks at me funny, I do feel inclined to hurt them… sometimes almost to the point where walking away seems an impossibility. I never spend time with people of the opposite gender for fear that they might try something and I might lose it. Even with the Hokage's best seal around it, it only blocks out the voices that are put into your head… not what the voices tell you to do." The Hokage and Iruka were staring at Anko, the Hokage with surprise that she had actually told someone besides him, Iruka with compassion.

"But you let me hold you when we talked in your quarters." The Hokage's left eye brow shot up. Anko had just done two things she had never done before. Tell her secret and blush.

"I… I don't know… I need… Hokage-sama, may I have permission to lead a team into the forest to attempt to save Uchiha Sasuke."

"Hokage-sama, permission requested to be on this team as backup and observer."

"Permission doubly denied."

"What?"

"The exams must continue or we will lose face with the other villages and with potential mission providers. Weakness… or the appearance of weakness… would be very bad for everyone so soon after the wars. No, Sasuke Uchiha and his team will either complete the task set before them, or they will be found at the end of four more days. Iruka, you should return to your post in case any more teams finish. Anko, you should also return to your post. Oh, and one other thing… I am not called the professor for nothing, and have studied the curse seal of heavens from Anko's example and from Orochimaru's old records, even though there is very little and his seal was in the first stages at the time. The seal is, indeed, impossible to remove, but its power resides in the anger and hatred in the hearts of those afflicted. Anko, dwell on the present and all the…" Here he looked at Iruka. "… good that can be found in it. I assure you that, eventually, the seal will lose its power until you would be able to, say, go on a date with, say, Iruka, the school teacher here." The Hokage was laughing at the end his talk due to the fact that the two adults standing in front of him had gone from dejected faces from not being able to guarantee the safety of the children to flushed red in embarrassment. Old man, indeed. If Anko didn't even realize why Iruka was able to touch her, a feat no other man had done and survived uninjured through, it should have at least given her an idea.

_Or is she more like Naruto then we know, not willing to confess feelings for fear of hurting those involved?_

The Hokage shrugged to himself as the two jonin level ninja literally tried to run out the door while hiding their faces from each other. This was a very interesting situation. Kurenai now blushed at the mention of Kakashi, only when he was out of the room, of course. Anko, the woman with ice in her veins, was acting out of character. And Iruka, the mild mannered school teacher capable of being... well... more, seemed to have some feelings for the woman who would have been voted most likely to rip a man's genitals off for no good reason. Oh, sweet, sweet irony. Days like this made being Hokage worth while.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata were walking down the halls of the giant tower, on the ceilings of course, looking for any new people coming. After the previous days encounter with Anko, the scary lady, and their old sensei, they had gone and explored most of the towers upper levels. Now, they were in the lower levels of the tower deliberately waiting for more people to come in and point the way while subtly, or in Naruto's case not so subtly, boasting their time.

So far the only team to show up besides their own and Gaara's, who stayed in their room to the benefit of everyone, was a team from rain who had realized upon entering the tower that both of their scrolls had been stolen. Naruto figured that Gaara's team was the most likely culprit. They had promptly left to try to find more.

"Hinata…"

"Hai, Naruto-kun?"

"How are you doing?"

"Wh…what?" Naruto had never been what one would call inconsiderate. But, on the other hand, he never just upped and asked you how you were doing. If he saw you hurt, he helped you. If he saw you tired, he would help you rest. If he saw you couldn't walk, he would carry you on his back without a moment's hesitation. He cared, but he never asked about it if you didn't show it. To him, Hinata had figured, it was all about being strong. If you were too weak to keep your feelings to yourself then you needed help, but the strong would be able to contain feelings that would distract in battle or hinder progress. His question suddenly threw off everything she thought about why Naruto did what he did.

"I asked how you were feeling? I know I am kinda bored right now, but I'm always bored unless I'm doing my job. I am sort of nervous about the next test, though I know that we'll get through it in no time. I am also worried about you."

"A…about m…me?"

"Hai. You were great in the forest, you were great in the land of the waves, you were great even when we were just two children playing around and saying what we wanted to be when we grow up, but as many times as I tell you that you still look like that."

"Like wha…what?"

"Like that! I can see it in your eyes! You don't believe me when I tell you these things. You think, "Naruto's just being nice and trying to make me feel better." But I am not doing that. Why would I do that? I try to always tell the truth, especially when it comes to my friends. Look, you saved my life. You took out a jonin's water clone that would have chopped Kiba in half easily. You have beaten me in taijutsu spars without using chakra, and when you do use it I end up sore for days. You have perfect chakra control and you were the first to learn how to do what we are doing now. You can fight toe to toe with the best genin and chunin in the village and you still believe that you don't deserve to be on our team. Well forget it. I am not about to just let you look down on yourself like that. If anything, it is Shino's and my honor to be able to be on your team, Hinata. I am sure he would agree with me…"

"I do." Shino had walked into the room sometime when they had been sitting there. He now took a seat besides them in the corner of the ceiling. "Hinata, there is only one think that makes you weak, and that is the belief that you are weak. We both know you are strong. Strong of body, mind, and heart. The only one who doesn't seem to understand that is you."

"It might even seem, Hinata, that even as we are praising you we are tearing you down. Don't think that. We care about you too much to let you do this to yourself. Don't you understand me? When I see people in need, I help them. The strongest ninja could be in need, and I often am, but that doesn't make you weak at all. If you want help, don't be afraid to tell us… we care about you. Weak people hide from the world, and you shouldn't do that because you are strong. Take the world head on and dare it to do anything about it. Weak people think they are weak, strong people _know_ they are strong and always know to keep getting stronger. Hinata... you aren't weak, so don't let other people look down on you, especially yourself, ok? Hinata?"

Hinata was crying as Naruto sat next to her. He slowly put his arm over her shoulder, not knowing whether the tears were against him or not, but when she grabbed on to him in an embrace and buried her head into his chest, soaking his shirt, he knew that the tears she cried were not of sadness, showing once again her misunderstanding, but of regret that she hadn't realized it earlier and happiness that Naruto cared for her enough that, even in her weakness caused by her own thoughts, he believed she was strong. She had misinterpreted his actions from the beginning. When he saw person in need, he didn't assume they were weak. Only the people who were too afraid to show emotions and feelings were truly weak. The truly weak ones were the ones who denied themselves the ability to become strong by bottling them up and dwelling on them.

They stayed like that for a long time, hours probably, until Hinata felt well enough to speak. She giggled.

"What? What's so funny?"

"Y…you."

"What?"

"When you said… "strongest ninja in the world"… you're a great ninja, Naruto-kun."

"Yeah, but tell me what you learned from this talk."

"That I am not weak."

"Not only that, but you are a great ninja too. One day everyone will look back at us and say, "Damn, that was one super awesome ninja squad, right there!" and "Yeah, that Shino guy… he was a superb ninja who always got the job done. He was one of the greatest leaders of the Aburame clan ever." and "Hai, that he was, but Hinata Hyuga was also the greatest leader of her clan. She didn't fall into weakness when her eyes were taken away, but instead rose up and became more powerful then any of her clan when she got them back."

"Naruto, I believe you are missing one person."

"Huh?"

"Hai. They will also say, "Then there was that Naruto kid. Great man, best Hokage we've ever had. Born leader and strategist and a master ninjutsu expert. The spirit behind the team."

"Naruto-kun… arigato. I… I really…"

"Don't mention it, Hinata. But if you really want to pay me back you can…"

"Wha…what?" _A date? Is he asking me on a date?_

"Never forget what was said here today. You really are a great ninja."_ Whoa, for a moment I thought I was going to ask her on a date. Wait… why didn't I?_

"Oh… Hai."

"And you could let me take you to Ichirakus sometime after the exams."

"… like a date?"

"Yes, Shino, like a date." Naruto had turned his head in the opposite direction to respond to Shino, and when he looked back Hinata was careening to the floor below. Luckily Naruto was much faster then gravity and caught her in his arms. She was blissfully unconscious, but with the silly smile on her face Naruto assumed she said yes.

_I guess I should accept my own poison. If I tell Hinata that she should always share her feelings and believe in herself, then I guess I would have to be a hypocrite to not act on my own. Even with the demon I have. I'll just have to become stronger until I don't lose control again._

* * *

The next days passed in a flash. Kurenai arrived the next day to congratulate them, and three teams arrived that day as well. One from sound, the Ino-Shika-Cho team, and a team from Konoha Naruto had only seen in passing glance once. It contained the bushy brow, Rock Lee, a girl with brown hair and a large assortment of scrolls named Ten-ten, and a boy only slightly older then Naruto. He wouldn't even look at them, and Hinata seemed to know why. When he finally caught a look of his eyes he immediately recognized who it was. And burst out laughing.

"NEJI? You still have long hair!" The team that had been about to leave for their room froze, two out of fear for the person's life that said that and one with the intent to break, kill, and maim.

"Come on, Neji. Remember? Where have you been? I haven't even seen you around since…"

"Since the day Hinata-sama had her eyes removed, right?" Naruto and Hinata looked shocked. His voice had changed. Not in the way a boys voice changes in sound, but there was a definite underlying tone of anger, hatred, and contempt in his speech. It was nothing like the kind boy that would often play with them in their early years.

"Yeah… where were you?" Naruto's voice had dropped in volume and his eyes immediately went from happy to wary. It seemed like there was a killing intent barely being kept in by Neji… and Naruto had no idea why.

"Why don't you ask your father?" He spat the last word with utter contempt. It took no blood limit to see what Neji's opinion of Hiashi was. Hinata looked down at the ground while Naruto stared in shock as the team left the room.

Hinata was, for once, tight lipped about anything she might know about it, so Naruto vowed to do exactly as Neji had said and ask Hiashi the first chance he had.

More teams arrived in the last few days. Two more from Konoha, to be exact. A team comprised of people he had no clue about except one gray haired genin with glasses. He ignored him, and was ignored in return. The last team to officially make it to the next test was team seven, Sasuke Uchiha had made it and Naruto was strangely overjoyed to see him. Sasuke was not looking his best at all, almost like he was perpetually tired and in some pain. And when the completely in control Uchiha actually showed pain, it must have been a lot of pain.

Only an hour after Sasuke's team arrived the six remaining teams met in the one room they had not been allowed access to in their explorations. A long room of stone with a pair of hands in the ram's seal at the end. Naruto knew what the room was for by instinct. He smiled.

* * *

AN: Ok, I lied. One on one fights are starting in the next chapter. Why does Neji have a stick up his ass still? Did Sasuke receive the curse mark? Oh, and here is something I actually would like to here about. Do you want me to remake the actual fights or make new pairings? I know some fights that are going to happen, aka. Kiba v. Naruto (like I haven't alluded to it). But, should I change others? Just say whether or not the original pairings are ok or if I should make new ones. Don't tell me what new ones I should do, just if I should do new ones. Good? Good. Oh, and, despite the massive amount of Iruka/Anko stuff I threw in there for this chapter, I don't plan on doing that again. I just give a large section to introduce a relationship and then maybe throw in some stuff later chapters, but nothing as big. After all, this is a Naruto/Hinata fic, not Kaka/Kure or Iru/Anko, eh? Eh.

Thanks for reviewing.


	12. Fight for your Life

AN: Ok, so I felt a few reviews needed to be answered. First of all, no, I have not and did not forget his weights. I plan to use those soon. Next, to individuals…

Anonymous:

The question was, why do I make Hinata faint so much around Naruto? She should be used to him by now. Well, to answer that I must explain a little of what I assume the Hyuga's are like. Besides Hiashi, Hinata, and Naruto, they are stuck up bastards. Intimacy of any kind is frowned upon by fellows. A simple hug would be expressing much more to them then to us. A kiss… damn, Hinata should go into cardiac arrest, because it is against tradition to express emotions like that. A chaste kiss before bed might be shared between husband and wife or parent and child, but never two people of the opposite gender and the same age. Understand where I am coming from? Good. Sorry I didn't spell it out in the actual story, but I felt all the background info would bog down the actual story. Maybe I was wrong, and I'll put in some more.

Thanks for the review.

RakeeshJ4:

Ok, so my spelling sucks in some places. I admit. I catch all the ones I can see in a read through before I post each chapter, but some get through.

The plot flaw you pointed out is not technically a flaw. I never once said Naruto saw a head band on the ninja. He was a three year old and it was dark and he was in a lot of stress and the ninja was likely under a henge. Because there was no solid proof this time (aka. A body), there are no ties to the cloud or the emissary besides circumstantial evidence. The man was a jonin and obviously capable of single handedly infiltrating a city and kidnapping a clan heiress, so I assumed he could not be caught with the possibly 20 minute head start he would have gotten while they took care of Hinata and Naruto.

My purpose was not to blind Hinata or create the jutsu. To tell you the truth, I had thought of keeping Hinata blind forever until we got her eyes back, but the jutsu popped into my head while writing the third chapter, so I added it and went with it. I was not trying to be sloppy, I was trying to save the return of her eyes until it was getting close to the time of reckoning, and I guess I haven't explained why I didn't have Hinati's eyes put in Hinata. I will in the future. The climax of the story will be the finding of the eyes and the return, but that will not happen until after the two year time skip.

There are no cloud ninja in the finals, and therefore no reason for any cloud to be at the finals. The only people that can be in the finals based upon my roster are leaf, sand, and sound. Cloud won't show up.

I will take in account my spelling errors and fix them soon. I want to finish the chunin exams before going back and fixing earlier chapters. After all, this story isn't going to be over for a long while yet.

Thanks for the review.

Narumanga 300:

Um… sorry. I tried very very hard to make sure I never actually said cry in the early chapters. I slipped in the last chapter. Maybe I'll go back and fix it, or not. Don't like that explanation? Magic. Yes... magic...

Velshard:

"Giggle berries" rocks.

Alright, enough of that. Thanks to everyone who reviews, and thanks to Velshard for the new word. I will use it! Dattebayo! Ano… well, here is chapter 11. Oh, one more thing. I wrote a shot one short that I liked, Moonlight Snowfall. Naru/Hina all the way, and I added a short note at the end, so enjoy it. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter 11: Fight for your Life

* * *

"The first match will be between Yoroi Akado and Shino Aburame. May all the other contestants observe from the observation decks until they are called for their match."

The preliminaries, after being described in detail by the Third Hokage and the proctor of the exam, were about to begin. Shino got a small hug from Hinata and a hand shake from Naruto before they hopped up to the observation deck. Naruto landed on the railing like a cat… or a fox… and swiftly turned around so he was crouched on the railing with Hinata standing next to him. Kurenai walked up as the pair was talking.

"Shino has this match in the bag."

"Hai… Shino is strong."

"You two aren't too bad, either." The two turned to face their sensei who stood to Hinata's left. Now the team was completely together, except the one on the floor below who appeared to be silently standing.

"Man, if this keeps up any longer then Shino will win before it starts." Naruto looked bored, but Kurenai could tell he was watching the battle ground with intensity. The other opponent was taking his sweet time getting ready, Shino just stood silently.

"What do you mean, Naruto?"

"Shino is using his information gathering bugs right now. I would say he knows everything that guy can do by now. He might have had a chance if they had started immediately, but Shino definitely has the upper hand. He might be just standing there, but I bet he has hoards of insects all over the place waiting in traps."

Hinata nodded. She could vaguely see blotches of blue around the floor, and she assumed that these were groups of the insects under the ground. She still hadn't told Naruto about it, yet, but knew she would eventually.

"Combatants ready?"

"Hai, ready to kill this kid here acting all cool. I'll show you what a real ninja's power is like. I'll beat those glasses right off ya." He wasn't really one to talk, because he covered his entire lower face with a mask and wore black glasses that seemed to have nothing supporting the lenses. Naruto assumed they were adhered using chakra.

All Shino did was nod.

"Alright then. Begin!"

The other leaf ninja immediately did one hand seal before his hands began to glow in an ethereal fire in Hinata's vision.

"Naruto, he is using something..."

"What?"

"His hands… I hope Shino doesn't get touched…"

Shino knew what was going on right away when a small, almost invisible, swarm of his weakest insects flew towards the man's hands and died instantly._ Chakra absorption. I can't get hit._

Shino, despite his large cloak and his tendency to be as still as a tree, was rather fast. And when Yoroi disappeared from his vision in an instant he knew what to do. Blocking his back would be expected, and would end up with his chakra being absorbed. A very bad fate, potentially deadly, but it would undo most of the work he had put into making connections with his inner hive. Shino never worked if it would be wasted. And so he did the only logically thing.

Shino ran.

Shino was suddenly on the other side of the arena. He turned to look at a startled Yoroi who had just finished his grab at the air Shino had just been occupying. Startled would be a loose term, being how Yoroi's face was more covered then Shino's. Naruto was slightly shocked as well. He had sparred with Shino before, but Shino had never showed him such speed.

"What the…"

"Speed will not win you the battle."

"What are you afraid to fight me, hand to hand?" Yoroi smiled under the mask. He obviously had no idea Shino knew his secret.

"No." Shino ran at Yoroi, this time at a slightly slower pace. Yoroi charged Shino at the same time, each meeting in the other in the middle of the chamber. Yoroi smiled as his fist connected with Shino's face, but stopped in horror as his face seemed to explode. The bug clone's head coated the arm of the ninja and he was too startled to scream. His chakra absorption technique should have been sucking them dry of their chakra, but they continued to bite and claw at his arm.

"Do you understand?" Yoroi was trying to crush the insects, but each time his left hand came to crush one it would just climb onto the left arm. He was screaming by now, mainly because he could see the insects begin to pierce his skin and crawl into him. Lumps crawled around under his skin in the most painful experience Yoroi had ever been through. "My insects devour chakra, just as you do. The more you try to suck out from them, the more they have to feast on from you. I can sense their desperation. Normally they won't consume flesh without my explicit orders."

Yoroi was on his hands and knees, still screaming in pain. If it were possible, he would have forfeited. But he couldn't spare a breath to call it off.

Instead, Shino recalled all of his insects. He smiled inwardly as his opponent collapsed to the ground unconscious and breathing haggardly. Shino had not been touched and had basically achieved a net gain in his stores of chakra for his insects. The small, information gathering, bugs he had sent originally were easily replaced.

"Winner, Shino Aburame!"

Shino looked up into the stands to see a cheering Naruto, smiling Hinata, and a smirking Kurenai. A few of the other rookie nine he remembered cheered too, but the only ones not completely grossed out by Shino's techniques were the very ones that had been his friends for as long as he could remember. Hell, Naruto thought Shino's techniques were cool. Hinata wished they had less to do with human consumption, but thought they were no worse then her own, which attacked the inside of the body in a devastating way. He jumped up to his team in victory.

"That was awesome Shino, I didn't even see when you made the clone. Well, actually I thought I did, but wasn't sure. That was fast."

"Good job, Shino."

"Yes, I can't say I was surprised. But next time…" Kurenai shivered. "Never mind, I think I will never look at a beetle the same way again. Where did you learn to teach your insects to do that?"

"That's what they do with me. They have just been doing it since birth, so they have tunnels. The digging of the tunnels is the painful part."

Naruto gave a small laugh.

"Man, I wouldn't mind it to have hoards of insects at my disposal. Pain passes, but the benefits of it are right in front of us."

"That would be impossible at your age. The hive would not join with you, it needs to grow with you from a young age..."

"I know, I wasn't going to actually ask you to do it. It's a clan thing and I wouldn't take that from you."

Suddenly they were alerted to the board which had lit up with two more names.

"Will Zaku Abumi and Shikamaru Nara please come to the arena?" Naruto looked over at the lazy Nara who sighed and walked down the stairs towards the arena. Always taking the slower way, when jumping was perfectly fine and easy. Naruto smiled at him. At least he understood what relaxation is and how to relieve stress. They would need to go look at the clouds sometime. The other ninja, one from sound who happened to look injured. One of his arms was in a sling and the other was heavily bandaged. Naruto smiled. Even for the lazy guy, this should be an easy fight.

"Ready? Begin!" Shikamaru just stood where he was with his hands in his pockets and a bored expression on his face. Zaku was in a defensive stance until he realized that the perfectly fine ninja wasn't going to attack him.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting."

"For what?"

"For you to attack me."

"Really? Ok." Zaku suddenly brought one arm up and aimed it at Shikamaru. Suddenly a massive burst of high pressure air came out of a small hole in his hand and… knocked Zaku into a wall out cold. Everyone just stared at what had happened. No one besides his own team understood. Zaku's arm had been facing Shikamaru until the instant before he had fired. Zaku had been so intent on building his chakra that he hadn't noticed the fast hand seals coming from the Nara. The moment he had fired, Shikamaru had moved his own arm towards his chest, placing his palm on his sternum. Zaku was lucky it hadn't been his heart. Chances are he would live.

"I guess I don't even need to say, "kage mane success", do I? What an idiot."

Shikamaru just walked back up the stairs. With cheers from his friends and jaws hanging from the rest.

"Naruto-kun… what happened?"

"Shikamaru… right before he fired the hand thingy Shikamaru did something with his shadow. I didn't understand it, but it went across the floor like a snake and attached itself to the other guy's shadow. I guess that will let him control the guy."

"Wow… that was amazing."

"Hai. Shikamaru might be a lazy bum, but he sure is smart. And strong."

The next battle was between the crazy face paint guy from sand and another one from the quitter's, Kabuto's, team. It was over relatively quickly. Hinata had told him as the leaf was breaking the sand's neck that it wasn't really the sand ninja. She had no idea what it was, but when it turned out to be a puppet Naruto was confused. He hadn't seen the switch, or the usual signs of a substitution. The ninja he had decked, the teammate of that Gaara character, was an incredible ninja to have done that. And he showed no mercy, either. His opponent had both arms and legs broken before he was released from the puppet's hold. Hinata shivered at that. It was a sickening sound that they never wished to hear, the screams of a person in intense pain and then a crack followed by the silence of death or unconsciousness. It resolved Naruto to beat the bastard in the finals.

"The next battle will be between Sakura Haruno and Hinata Hyuga." Hinata gasped a little. Naruto smiled at her and gave her a pat on the back.

"Don't worry, Hinata. You got this. Just remember, she can be your enemy here even if she is your friend outside."

"H…hai…" Hinata didn't want to hurt her friends… not after the speech about this being a replacement for actual war between villages. If it was a replacement, shouldn't friends not need to fight friends? Naruto took her hand and, in a display of uncommon chivalry, walked her down the stairs. As if she were still blind. He left her at the entrance to the stadium.

"Hinata… Shino and I believe in you. So don't worry. You'll do great, and even if you lose we still think you're great." Naruto gave her one last smile before turning around. He froze for an instant before heading up the stairs.

"Hinata… you won't lose. You're a awesome shinobi and a kind person. People like you win. So go out there and prove to everyone how great you are. Make them all see you as we do." She hadn't seen that coming. She nodded before he headed back up the stairs.

_Naruto-kun… I will. I will win, if not to show everyone how great I am, but to show everyone how great you are for giving me the chance to come this far. I'll make them see how great everyone is on your team! I'll… I will win._

Hinata walked out onto the battle field with more confidence in her step then she had ever been seen with before. If one didn't know her, you would could see the ground in front of her. She walked to presicely the spot opposite of Sakura and turned to face her. Sakura had apparently been looking at Sasuke in the stands and hadn't noticed Hinata's appearance or her apparent sight.

"Oh, Hinata-chan. Ano… I don't really want to hurt you." Hinata got into her own personal battle stance. It was low, lower then the traditional Hyuga Juken stance. Her right arm came across her body and her left was straight out in front of her, palm open. Her right leg was in front of her to the point where she was only a few feet off the floor. It was a stance Sakura had never seen.

"I don't want to hurt you, either, Sakura-san. But if you don't fight me with your all you will be hurt." Hinata said it with nearly no emotion. People up in the stands were staring at the pair. Everyone that knew Hinata had thought she would forfeit. I mean, what good would a blind person do in a one on one match? One person was especially interested in her. Neji Hyuga had his Byakugan active and was watching her intensely.

"Hinata-chan?"

"Sakura-san, if you do not wish to fight me then forfeit. I am going to fight."

Sakura was in shock for a second before she shook her head.

"I guess this is just one more way to get stronger…"

"Ready?"

"Hai." Both answered as one.

"Then begin."

Hinata took a deep breath as Sakura drew a kunai silently. Hinata focused her mind's eye to observe everything in her sight. She clearly saw the glow around Sakura, weaker then Shino's or Naruto's, and how it seemed to flow.

Sakura's kunai let fly and just as it was about to hit the young princess Hinata moved out of the way in a move that could only be called graceful. It appeared like a pirouette to the observers, and not many watched Hinata catch the kunai in mid flight and send it back at Sakura. Sakura herself barely caught that fact before she had to jump, very ungracefully, out of the way.

"Sakura-san, I am not weak." Hinata's hands began to glow to the vision of the whole audience. A blue glow that reminded the Hokage of chakra scalpels surrounded her palms, much more then a normal Juken user would have. Neji never took his eyes off of her.

Sakura had gotten to her feet and was surprised to find Hinata running directly towards her._ How can she do that unless… she can see me?_ Sakura decided to test her theory by jumping high into the air in a random direction. She saw Hinata's forehead protector covered eyes follow her._ What?_

Hinata was fast. She as faster then Naruto or Shino in their training at least in short distance.. She could turn on a dime and was incredibly good with her feet. Some thought her clumsy due to her person before her new found sight. But she could see now, and that was what mattered. Sakura landed from her jump to find Hinata only a foot away. She didn't even have time to react as her arms fell limply to their sides and Hinata was found behind her. Hinata turned and faced the back of a shocked Sakura.

Sakura turned to face Hinata. She couldn't believe Hinata's speed, or the fact that she couldn't feel her arms at all. It was… scary. They weren't numb, they weren't in pain… they weren't there. But she could see them.

"Hi…Hinata?"

"Your arms are fine. It will wear off eventually. I suggest you forfeit, because it will be weeks before you move them as well as you could."

"Wha…what did you do?"

"It isn't what I did, but what Naruto-kun did."

"Naruto?"

"Naruto-kun helped me grow stronger… he helped me become who I am… he helped me see." Many in the audience gasped at that. Every head turned to Naruto, who was actually blushing.

"Naruto-kun is much better then people give him credit for."

"I… I see."

"No… you don't. But maybe some day you will."

"R…right. Proctor, I forfeit."

"Very well, the match goes to Hinata Hyuga." Cheers came from most of the audience at that point. Even the girl from sand had to smile at it. Apparently a blind girl just kicked ass. She would be an interesting opponent. One person didn't have a facial expression at all, good or bad. Neji Hyuga stared at his cousin in a look that showed absolutely nothing.

Hinata jumped back to her team and was immediately engulfed in a tight hug from Naruto.

"You did it, Hinata! You totally showed her. Didn't I tell ya? Huh, didn't I? See, you're strong!"

"A…arigato… Naruto-kun…" He was so close and some of his skin was rubbing against her hands… she was blushing an interesting scarlet color. Naruto didn't seem to notice as he broke the hug and gave her an instantaneous peck on her cheek. After it, though, he seemed to realize just what he had done. Each stared at the other for a second, both as pale as ghosts, before each one passed out. Luckily for Naruto, though, because his match was still to come, his head hit the railing on the way down and he woke up when he hit.

Kurenai was desperately trying to contain her girlish giggles and Shino was shaking in silent laughter.

"Damn… why did they make that railing so hard?"

"To wake up people who just kissed a pretty girl?"

"Haha, good one Shino… wait… Shino, did you just make a decent joke?"

"Are you implying my other jokes weren't decent?"

"No, no! Not at all!"

"Ok."

Hinata was pulled back to rest against the wall of the room till she woke up. Naruto hoped she would wake up before his own match.

The board once again lit up with new names.

"Would Rock Lee and Ino Yamanaka please come to the arena?"

"Oh damn."

"What is it Naruto?"

"Fuzzy brows… this isn't even a match."

"The student of some jonin named Guy?"

"Hai. Shino, remember his speed?"

"Hai… Ino better either give up or…"

"Begin!"

"…she will lose in ten seconds."

On the floor stood Rock Lee in an iron fist stance.

"Ino-san, I do not normally harm women, but as my opponent I must defeat you."

"Yeah, whatever! Bring it…" Ino never finished her sentence. Ino never even had a chance to see what had caused her unconsciousness. Lee was now behind her falling body with his hand positioned as if he had just chopped the back of her neck. He caught her as she fell.

"Winner, Rock Lee!"

"Wow… did you see that?"

"I was that fast before…"

"No, you used a lot of chakra to move that fast. Did you see it? He didn't use any."

"What?"

"That was no ninjutsu. It was pure taijutsu. I can tell."

"Wow indeed."

The next two matches were quick and boring. Neji Hyuga, Naruto's long lost friend gone cold, won when his teammate, Ten-ten, decided to forfeit before the match even began. Another match that was incredibly boring to watch was between Temari and Choji. Temari couldn't have gone against a worse opponent based upon her chosen attacks. Choji simple plowed through her dangerous winds like they were breezes. Eventually Temari missed a step and was almost flattened by a meat tank attack. She passed out from being slammed into a wall and Choji gave a triumphant roar and got cheers from his normally lazy friend. Shikamaru actually raised his voice.

But the next fight… was unforgettable.

"Gaara of the sand, Dosu Kinuta."

The battle could be called one sided, but that wouldn't even begin to describe it. Dosu, the leader of the sound trio, was completely outmatched. After causing Kabuto to vomit in the first test, one would assume he was one of the strongest there. Only Naruto and Hinata, who had woken up to Choji's crashes, knew differently. Gaara of the desert was strong. Inhumanly strong. Most of the spectators watched in horror as the sand from he red haired boy came out of his container on its own. They watched, open mouthed, as the sand surrounded him. And then they couldn't take their eyes off the sound leader being engulfed in sand completely and utterly. The proctor was too late to call it. One low voiced jutsu and a clenching of a fist caused blood to seep from the mound of sand. No one watched as the sand removed itself from the boy and returned to its gourd. The medics carried what was left of the body away.

Hinata had buried her face in Naruto's chest during the fight and was hesitant to remove it, even when Naruto had told her it was done. She shivered. Gaara was the strongest ninja she had seen in action. Naruto had watched the match completely. Strange at it might seem, Naruto was also shivering, but in excitement. What he had just seen had proved to him what he had sensed before. Gaara was like him. The chakra he had noticed before, the familiar aura, had been reminding him of his own. Gaara was a demon container. Naruto was excited to fight him. It was a feeling he enjoyed, but also one he feared.

_I really shouldn't be excited to fight like this. It's almost demonic in nature. I should ask sensei about it later. Maybe… maybe she will have an idea on what to do._

"The next match will be between Kiba Inuzuka and Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto smiled. He couldn't have asked for a better match. Kiba, the dog boy that was always trying to ask out Hinata, was finally going to get his ass kicked Naruto style.

"ALRIGHT! Looks like it's my turn." Naruto jumped over the railing with a wave back to his team. They gave him waves in return. Naruto took his place facing Kiba. Kiba wore a smirk and his dog wore a stupid smile.

"Well, well. I guess I finally get to show Hinata-chan how great of a ninja I am and beat you down into the dust, loser."

"You can try, but in the end Hinata-chan would never go for you, dog breath. That's just the way things go. You and your little puppy ready to go?"

"Whatever, teme."

"Oh, now I'm scared."

"Ready?"

"Hai."

"Hai."

"Begin!"

Naruto immediately drew a kunai as Kiba went through some hand seals. Naruto didn't catch the name of the jutsu, but he caught the clawed foot in his stomach moments later. Naruto flipped in mid air and landed on his feet. His jacket had been ripped up by Kiba's foot that was now sporting inch long claws. A small amount of blood was seeping out. Kiba was fast. Faster then he had shown in the wave mission. Naruto was fast, too, though. He managed to dodge the next kick and the next punch. Kiba was surprised. No one was usually as fast as him. Naruto drew a second kunai in his other hand and spun around Kiba's next attack to bring one down into his shoulder. It was blocked, however by another hand.

_What? Three hands?_ A fourth came out of nowhere and sent Naruto flying into a wall. Part of the wall collapsed from the impact and covered him.

"Hehe, that guy is down."

Up in the stands all but five people were not surprised at all. Team 8 and the two remaining male members of team 7 were partly surprised, but partly anxious to see Naruto get up.

_The dobe is stronger then that._

_Naruto Uzumaki… you can do the Hiraishin without dying, you can take a hit like that._

_Naruto, I've hit you stronger than that._

_Naruto… get up!_

_Naruto-kun…_

"Proctor, call it."

"What?" Everyone in the stands stared at the ceiling. Standing and smirking was Naruto Uzumaki.

"Come on, it is obvious that my shadow clone is dead."

"Uzumaki…"

"Inuzuka." Naruto did a cross hand sign. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" Instantly, the ceiling above the battlefield became covered in upside-down Narutos. Both copies of Kiba looked up in shock. Then the first one smiled.

"Hmph. Like we can't take out some pathetic clones. Akamaru!" Suddenly both Kiba's jumped into the air. "Tsuuga!" The two dog-men became swirling drills that flew into the air and collided with the ceiling before skimming over it and taking out a long line of Narutos. When the two fell back to the ground they stood to see that the Narutos they had destroyed had been replaced.

"Kiba… come on." They all pushed off and shot towards the ground like human missiles, each throwing a kunai as they went. Kiba stared as they all impacted… around him. The clones poofed into nothingness as they slammed into the ground. Everyone just stared at the bad aim of Naruto. Only he was smiling. Kiba smirked back at him.

"Dobe, how was that supposed to hurt?"

"Like this." Naruto once again filled the room with bunshins. Kiba and Akamaru started clawing and biting through them. Up in the stands Hinata and Shino were wondering why Naruto was playing around. It was an important match, what was he thinking? He seemed to just be wasting chakra on lots of clones.

"Now, Kiba, you will understand what I have been doing." There were only five Narutos left. Each had a kunai drawn, but they looked tired. They surrounded the two dogs, but the last Naruto stood back.

"Not gonna happen! TSUUGA!" Two spinning drills crashed into all four shadow clones before spinning towards a shocked Naruto. Hinata shouted his name from the stands at he was split in half… until he also disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

"Wha…" Suddenly Kiba found himself flying into the air from a kick to his backside. As he tumbled towards the ceiling he saw two Narutos that had not been there before where he had been standing and Akamaru flying up next to him.

"This is it! Naruto Renden!" Each Naruto came flying into the air, slamming both of his opponents into each other. Akamaru broke his henge and was promptly kicked into a wall. Kiba, on the other hand, was assaulted from all sides by the last four Naruto's. Another kick from each at once shoved him faster towards the ceiling. A last kick from the real Naruto instants before he would have hit the ceiling head on caused him to cough blood and head towards the ground at an ungodly speed. Waiting at the floor was a Naruto clone who held up a fist as Kiba's head came in range. Kiba's face connected with his fist as if the clone was a statue. It was almost slow motion as Kiba's nose broke, he lost consciousness, and he fell flat on his back.

"The match is Naruto Uzumaki's."

Up in the stands one person cheered while everyone else was silent. Hinata was the one cheering. Shino wasn't showing emotion, Kurenai was smiling, Kakashi was smiling behind a mask, Sasuke and Gaara were smirking. The rest of the crowd was in shock and awe at what had just happened. The second best taijutsu user of their year had just been wiped out and didn't even have a chance to harm his opponent, the dead last of the class, since the first strike.

Naruto jumped up to the landing and received a pat on the back from Kurenai.

"Very good, Naruto. I almost didn't catch your switches."

"Thanks, sensei. At least dog-breath wasn't as smart."

"I have to admit, Naruto, transforming some of your clones and yourself into kunai and then just waiting it out until he got into position was very good strategy… but he should have assumed something was up after seeing the same thing in the land of waves mission."

"Yeah, but I always have my ace in the hole."

"Naruto-kun?"

"Oh, Hinata. You know… my birthday presents."

"Oh, right."

"Do you mean… him?"

"NO!" Naruto and Kurenai answered as one.

"I mean, Naruto would never use… him… against one of his friends, right?"

"Right. I meant… no, wait… I'm sorry. I can't say right now. But you will find out in the finals."

"Oh, right. We will all be opponents in one month, won't we?"

"Wha… Naruto-kun?"

"No, Shino. We are teammates through and through. If any of us here fight each other then it will just be a friendly spar. But I can't tell you because other people are listening."

Shino looked at Naruto with a new found respect. He knew that revealing secrets to potential enemies was something an idiot would do, but Naruto had brushed off the comment about enemies. _Teammates… friends… even if we fight? Ok then, Naruto. Friends we are and friends we will be._

"I will fight my hardest if we face in the finals…"

"I wouldn't want you to do any less."

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata didn't want to fight her teammates. She didn't want to fight… period. Her fight with Sakura had shown everyone that she wasn't weak or blind, but that didn't mean she wanted to be… what? A ninja? What did she want to be…

"Hinata, that goes for you too. If you don't fight at your best then you won't get chunin."

"Ano… hai…"

"Something wrong, Hinata?"

"Ano…"

"The next and last match is between Sasuke Uchiha and Kin Tsuchi. Ready? Begin."

Naruto had to turn around to watch the Uchiha fight. It was interesting, to say the least. Sasuke had been the last one to arrive and was obviously tired. Hinata noticed something else about him, though. It was as if he had another chakra source that would rise up every some often and he would push it down. He was breathing heavily instants into the fight, and it had looked, at first, as if he would lose. But he came out with a new trick, one Naruto hadn't seen before. He apparently used the very last of his chakra to get behind the senbon throwing ninja after grabbing her own chakra strings and senbon and wrapped her up in them. He collapsed after that… but remained conscious for long enough to claim victory.

"Great job, teme! See you in the finals!" Naruto shouted down to the Uchiha as he was helped walk away by Kakashi. Sasuke looked up to see the smiling face of Naruto and his team. _That dobe…cheering on the one who is going to defeat you in the finals… _

The preliminaries were over.

* * *

Hinata Hyuga and Naruto Uzumaki walked through the massive doors of the Hyuga complex and into the all too familiar halls. They had a goal. Showers. A shower would be amazing, thought each at the same time. They ran through the hall ways towards their rooms, right past Hiashi and Hanabi with only a loud and short hello and goodbye. Hiashi smiled, he would get the whole story later. Hinata was the first into the bathroom, causing Naruto to pout. But if there was one thing in the world Hinata knew more then anything it was that Naruto would never, ever, kick a girl out of the bathroom to let himself go first. He was more chivalrous then that.

Hinata took her shower, making sure to leave enough hot water for Naruto. Her fatal mistake was to not put her head band back on and use her sight jutsu. After all, her room was only a few feet down the hall. She hadn't brought a change of clothes with her, so just wrapped a towel around herself and walked out of the room. Hinata didn't even notice that Naruto had exited his room moments after she turned down the hall. Nor did she notice that the towel she had wrapped around herself was not a full body towel… it didn't even fully cover her… you get the idea. So, she walked quietly into her room to change for dinner and Naruto quietly bled to death from his nose in the hall way. If he had not had the Kyuubi, he would have most certainly died. In the future people would claim the dark stain in the wood floor was from an assassination attempt. Hinata never knew it, but if there was one way to win against Naruto in the finals it would have been to merely take off her shirt.

Naruto managed to get up in a minute when his mind shut down. He had a very hard time in the shower trying to not cause anymore thoughts to come into his head. The image of Hinata's perfect figure and the lower half of her… yeah… would forever be burned into his mind._ It is a good thing I beat Kiba. I just hoped I don't have the face Shino or Hinata-chan in the finals. Oh well… I hope I get to face Gaara… wait… where did that come from?_

_**From me…**_

"What?"

* * *

AN: Ok, so I thought the prelims were short enough for some of you, original enough for some of you, and alike enough for some of you. Thanks for reviewing and reading.


	13. That Still Small Voice

AN: I am having a bad week. No. Correction. After writing the first sentence, I came back at the end of the week. This was an extremely sucky week. To put it in perspective, this chapter was 90 done on wed, and I posted it the following Tuesday when I finished it. I had a really sucky week, forgive me for the long wait and maybe I will forgive the world for beating me with a big ass stick.

Agent-G:

Question 1: Why didn't she use her mother's or another person's eyes?

Answer 1: Because… I won't tell yet. That is not a plot hole, it will be revealed why in time. I really already incorporated it into the story's future, so I can't just let it out now.

Question 2: Summoning, Toads or Foxes?

Answer 2: All will be revealed in the coming chapter. No foxes.

* * *

Chapter 12: That still small voice…

* * *

"What?" Naruto suddenly found the bottom of the shower to be very interesting as he slipped and landed flat on his back. He was partially stunned from the fall, but mostly from the voice he had just heard. He struggled to get to his feet.

"Who the hell are you? Where are you?"

**Me. Here.**

"Very descriptive…" The disembodied voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. It was quiet, but not difficult to here.

**Thank you.**

"Come out from wherever you're hiding!"

**I can't.**

Naruto was spinning around now, not realizing how stupid he must have looked spinning in circles naked. He uncovered every place in the room and still found nothing. He was slowly coming to feel an overbearing presence, more then any normal thing. It felt… universal. Like the presence was everywhere and couldn't be pinpointed. Like it had always been there in the static of everyday life where he couldn't see… or could have but never knew how to.

"I don't like being played the fool!"

**I feel no reason to insult you, Naruto-kun.**

"Well, I guess that puts you one step up from a few of the civilians…"

**Why would I insult the one who has taken care of me for years?"**

"Wha…"

**Why would I insult the one who I swore to help in my last moments of life?**

"You…"

**I am me. I am you.**

"Why now?"

**You are ready for me.**

"I don't want you."

**Nor I, you. But we are bound forever.**

"Kyuubi…"

* * *

Hinata Hyuga had finished getting dressed for dinner and brushing her hair out after her shower. She put her headband back on and had activated her jutsu before walking towards the kitchen to see if there was anything she could help the servants with. Hinata was known throughout the clan as the only person in the main house to have never used the seal of the main family on a branch family member. Hanabi wasn't yet eligible to learn the seal, so she did not count. Hinata Hyuga was a bridge between the cadet and the main families. She helped with chores and cooking even when she had been assured that what she did was not needed. But Hinata Hyuga had a heart of gold, and she could care less if she "dirtied herself to working alongside the sealed", as one of the elders, whom she hated, called it.

On many occasions the elders would use the seal on a branch member that had merely tripped and spilled tea, or if one forgot to sweep an area. Hinata and her immediate family thought it was idiocy. Naruto especially. The seal itself was an abuse of power, and the way some of the main family used it was sickening. Naruto had once seen a main family member using it on a girl who was no older then seven. Naruto had only been nine at the time, but that didn't stop him from tackling the man into a wall, where he hit his head and was knocked unconscious. The girl had only hesitated when the man had ordered her to do something when another demanding man had ordered her to do something else that she was in the process of completing. Naruto had decided that it was something that had to be changed. And Hinata agreed. When she became the heir… if she became the heir… she would ban it with an executive order. And if the elder counsel gave her trouble she would get help from Naruto who would be Hokage by then.

At least that was the idea.

Hinata passed by the bathroom she had recently used on her way, and was surprised to hear Naruto talking to himself.

"What do you mean…" Then his voice would trail off and she couldn't here anything for a few seconds.

"Maybe I say yes, what then?" Hinata had her ear against the door and was listening very intently. Naruto had never done this before, what if he was in trouble? She felt a little guilty, like she was betraying his trust, but decided Naruto's safety was more important then her own feelings. She knocked.

"Naruto-kun? Are you ok?"

Instantly Naruto opened the door with a towel around his waist. He looked a little frazzled, but she couldn't tell if that was from her banging on the door or something else.

"Hinata-chan? What is it?"

"Ano…" How do you bring up the subject of someone who is talking to themselves? "You… I heard you talking… to yourself…" Obviously in a very blunt way. Internally Hinata slapped herself for her lack of subtlety.

"Oh… you heard that? Well, it isn't anything amazing… well… actually this is pretty amazing. I'll tell you and Hiashi-sama at dinner, ok?"

"A…alright, Naruto-kun." It was too hard to talk to the blond when he was wet and was only wearing a towel. She still wasn't used to him calling her Hinata-chan. He didn't call anyone else that...

* * *

To anyone on the outside of the clan, the Hyugas might seem like absolute stuck up pigs. To anyone on the inside of the clan… the same pertained in most cases. But immediate families were much less strict then the clan as a whole. Hyugas actually turn out to be, usually, normal people when they are out of public view and with their family. Fathers who wouldn't crack a smile in the village would smile with their children in their residence. Children who seemed like impenetrable shields to potential friends would laugh as their parents tickled them to death. The hard exterior of the Hyuga clan was just one more thing to change in Naruto and Hinata's minds.

Dinner with Hiashi Hyuga's family was much different then people would think. Well… not so much different if they thought about Naruto. Though manners were required, Dinner was a social event for the two daughters, adopted son, and head of the Hyuga main branch.

Dinner that evening was more delicious then Naruto had ever remembered, even though it wasn't ramen. It could have had something to do with the fact that he had not had anything that was actually good to eat since the beginning of the chunin exams. The food they gave you after the second test was tasteless rations more suitable as fuel for a cooking fire then as an actual meal. Then again, it could have been the fact that he had just made a new "friend".

"So then Hinata-chan totally showed everyone how cool she was. Sakura didn't even understand as her arms were shut down. It was totally awesome."

"Naruto-kun… you did much better then me. Sakura didn't know I could see, so I was able to get an early strike. You actually outsmarted Kiba."

Hiashi cocked an eyebrown in disbelief. Naruto frowned with a pout.

"Don't look so surprised. I wasn't last in the class, just close because I didn't care about stuff like that."

"So… it looks like you both are going into the finals."

"Hai! Me, Hinata-chan, Rock Lee, Nara Shikamaru, Shino, Gaara of the desert and his brother, Choji Akamichi, Sasuke Uchiha, and… Neji."  
Hiashi Hyuga had expected that name to come up, but had been hoping against it. He tensed a little while reaching for his tea. Naruto noticed his discomfort.

"Hiashi-sama… why is Neji so different from before…"

"Naruto, Neji's father is gone. And I think he blames the main family for it… or at least he blames me for it."

"Wha… what do you mean? Neji's dad died on a mission soon after Hinata's eye were…"

"Stolen? Hai, but the mission he was sent on was not one given by the Hokage. Or me, but he doesn't know that."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was busy that night with you two in the hospital. The elders took temporary control over the Hyuga ninja, which is permissible in the clan law, and ordered Hizashi and a few others on a mission to find the kidnapper. The counsel understands very little about how the ninja world is run these days… and the mission they ordered Hizashi on was basically a suicide mission. Four men running in different directions from the place we found you two would only spell death for the one that found the man."

"He wasn't that strong."

"I know that, the elders knew that, but the ninja world today isn't that simple."

"You mean… backup?" Hinata had spoken up for the first time since hearing Neji's name.

"Hai, Hinata. Apparently the ever wise elders of the Hyuga clan forgot that a kidnapping of this magnitude probably meant serious backup, enough to handle an ANBU team if one was sent. We found his remains a few weeks later. Dead through electrocution by some jutsu. A poor end to a superior ninja and... a great brother. I never forgave the elders for their decision, and Neji has never been the same since. He thinks it was me who sent his father to his death, and probably on purpose. He is one of the strongest Hyuga to ever come from our family, even though he is a cadet branch member."

"I see…"

"Gomen… Neji…" Hinata was mentally crying, imaginary tears pooling in her eyes before running down her face.

"Hinata-chan, it wasn't your fault. If it was your fault, then it is my fault too!"

"Hai… but…"

"Nope."

"Bu…"

"No."

"A…"

"Hinata-chan, it was the stupid elder's fault. Not yours. Ok." Naruto always seemed to be able to brighten her day. Hinata's sadness broke an allowed a small smile through.

"Hai."

Hiashi had finally caught up on the new suffix to his daughter's name in Naruto's speech. He had to smile at it, but didn't say anything about it.

"So, Hiashi-sama, I was kinda thinking it would be really nice if you could…"

"I am sorry, Naruto, but I must train Hanabi and Hinata more if anything. It is my job, apparently. As much as I wish I could help you, I can only recommend another teacher."

"Oh… who?"

"Well, I would say that you should see if your sensei could train you. Kurenai might be a genjutsu specialist, but she could still help you in some aspects. Such as chakra control, which you still need a lot of work in."

"Hai… oh, I forgot to mention something… but Hanabi shouldn't be here for that…" Hanabi got the message, and because she was done with her dinner she got up to head towards the dojo. When she had gone, Naruto sighed.

"Ok, you now how you once said that the Kyuubi was sworn to help me? And how I would know what you were talking about one day?"

"Hai?"

"Well, I guess today was the day. I talked with it." Hiashi choked on his tea, Hinata gasped, and Naruto sighed again.

"You… you talked with it?"

"Hai."

"Ano… is that why you were…"

"Talking to myself? Hai."

"Well?"

"Well… turns out the Kyuubi really does plan on helping me. He is pretty decent, for a demon fox."

"But… how?"

"How is he going to help me? Well, he said he would basically give me his strength when I need it. He also said he would chime in with information if I needed it. He is actually quite friendly, but told me he expects me to train hard. He doesn't want to live inside a weakling who only relies on his power."

"That's it?"

"Well, from what he says, his power is pretty… um… powerful."

"Well, I knew that one day it would come."

"Ano… Naruto-kun, is it... nice?"

"Nice? Not really. It is sort of more like a strict teacher. It is a demon, and bound by something like an honor code. It can't get out, and even if it could it would still need to help me in anyway possible because it said it promised the sealer, the Fourth."

"Did it say anything else?"

"Um… no, not really. It was a one sided conversation, really. He doesn't like to talk that much. One word answers after he initially told me about the power thing."

"Well, I have to say that it isn't really an issue we need to worry about then. I mean, besides the fact that it is a demon of untold power that almost destroyed Konoha. Trust your feelings, Naruto."

* * *

Naruto was bored out of his mind. The first day training for the chunin exam finals and he was getting a lecture from his sensei on the basics of chakra control. He glanced over at the hot springs once again. _I wish she would just get it over with so I can try it._

"…and so the amount you need to put out is constantly chang… Naruto? Are you listening to me?" Kurenai had agreed to teach Naruto some new abilities to enhance is chakra control, but he obviously didn't seem to care for theory. She hit him over the head.

"Naruto, if you aren't going to pay attention to me, then I don't know why you asked me to train you."

"Sensei, I don't learn by talking! I learn by doing! Show me something to do!"

"Fine. Instead of explaining how to walk on water, you are going to get a crash course."

"…nani?"

"That's right. Use all that you heard and go into those hot springs. I don't want you to come out of it until you can prove to me that you can stay on the surface of the water for at least an hour. I can't go into the men's side, so I am going to wait right here and make sure you don't run off."

"…but won't the water be… hot?"

"Of course it will be hot, all the more reason to learn quickly. NOW GET IN THERE!"

Naruto didn't need any more urging, an angry jonin and a boot in the right direction was all he needed. He entered the hot spring and took off his jacket, shirt, pants and shoes. He figured that getting it on his first try would probably be too much to hope for, so he might as well not get his entire clothes wet. All he had on were his boxers. _I sure am glad Hinata isn't here… no… wait… I don't know._ Naruto focused some chakra into his feet._ I guess I should just start with the amount I used on the trees…_ Naruto stepped out onto the water with determination and his eyes closed. He managed to create some resistance… but not enough to keep him from shooting into the spring. He leapt out almost as fast as he fell, his skin red from the sudden emersion in the hot spring.

"Damn! HOT!"

Naruto continued his work for hours. It was mid afternoon by the time that he actually managed to stay on top of the water for more then a few seconds. Throughout that time he ate nothing and did nothing else. When he finally was able to walk around he noticed something that he had been ignoring up till then. His temper was short from his earlier failures, so seeing a red suited, white-haired, old man using a knothole in the fence between the two sides of the hot spring as a peep hole… well…

"Hey, you old pervert! Peek on this!" Naruto ran across the water with a kunai in his hand. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" Instantly four other Narutos joined him in his assault on the old man. The old guy just turned around.

"What the hell are you talking abo…" Suddenly he froze. _That style of kunai? The yellow hair?_ Naruto was on him in a second. Sadly, the old man was obviously a skilled ninja. His clones suddenly vanished after being thrown around the area and he was on the ground in front of the old guy who had stolen one of his brand new, sealed, kunai.

"Hey, you old perv! Give that back!"

"Kid."

"WHAT!"

"You… are you Naruto?"

"Huh?" Naruto stared at the man. He had gone from a giggling pervey old man into a serious guy. He was holding the kunai like he was appraising its value. "Yeah, I'm Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki, but how did you know that?" The old man had looked drunk a moment ago, but was now completely sober. Naruto was really hoping that the reason he was recognized was not because of the Kyuubi. Meeting someone like that was not on his to-do list. It usually involved a beating. Naruto subtly sunk into a slightly defencive stance.

"Naruto Uzumaki? Interesting name. This is an interesting weapon you have here, Naruto."

"Thanks, it's mine."

"Where did you get it?"

"I had it made for myself. Now give it back."

"Now, now. Don't get so riled up. Let me guess, you saw a picture in a text book and had these made."

Naruto glared at the man. "No, I didn't. They're for a special move I know, so let it drop and get it back!" Naruto tried to grab his kunai, but there were just some things about being short that wouldn't allow him to reach it. The old man didn't seem to notice his attempts, but just stared at him with a mixture of what Naruto thought was astonishment and respect, a combination he had never seen in a stranger before.

"Hey, brat."

"WHAT?"

"You know, I am a pretty decent ninja myself. If you show me this… move you have with the kunai then I might teach you a super awesome jutsu. It depends."

"…I don't show it to people."

"Why?"

"I just don't. It's a super secret move that I don't want anyone to know about. Only my team knows about it, only one member team at that."

"You wouldn't show some old guy, even if he could teach you a super awesome jutsu?"

"… what jutsu?"

"What jutsu? Why…" _damn, what would a little kid like this want to know…_ "The summoning jutsu!" The old man bit his thumb before doing a few hand signs. "Summoning Jutsu!" He slammed his hand into the ground causing a seal to appear on the ground. A poof of smoke later and Naruto found himself staring at a large red toad that the old pervert was now standing on top of. Naruto's eye were so wide open that he resembled the frog for a moment.

"See? Super awesome, right?"

"Y…yeah. Ok, I'll show you… just this once." Naruto held out his hand for the kunai, which was given back. He threw the kunai to the other side of the hot springs where it stuck into the wooden fence. Instantly a flash of light caused the old man to blink and he found himself looking at an empty spot. A quick look at the spot of the kunai showed him that the kid had just done what only one other human had ever been able to do. Hiraishin no jutsu, even if it wasn't as good as his old student had once been able to do.

After a very short amount of time spent with his jaw hanging open as the boy who was obviously young pulled his kunai out of the wall, he made his decision.

"Wow, kid that is some move. Alright. I'll teach you the summoning jutsu. But, tell me. Can you do that on a moving kunai?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, but last time I tried it would almost completely drained me of chakra. I don't know, it always feels like I am dragging the kunai to me, but from the forbi… the guy who taught it to me, it should feel like the kunai is dragging me to it."

"Well, I might be able to help you with that one, actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you are looking at the one, the only, Jiraiya!"

"Ok?" Jiraiya fell off his toad as it disappeared into a puff of smoke.

"You don't know me? I am the toad sage, one of the legendary sennin!"

"Ok?"

"You're kidding, right?"

"Are you saying that you're an old perv? Because I know that."

"No, I am not a pervert. I AM A SUPER PERVERT!"

"An old pervy sage."

"I AM NOT THAT OLD!"

"Ero-sennin." Naruto snickered.

"Damn it, kid. You want the jutsu or not?"

"I'll take it!"

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki spent the next three weeks with the old sage. He had been allowed to sign the toad summoning scroll, which pleased him to no end when Jiraiya pointed out the other name signed on it.

"The Fourth was a toad summoner?

"You bet! All the best ninja summon toads."

"Nope, the old man summons monkeys, he told me. And Hiashi doesn't summon anything at all… at least, I don't think so."

"Hiashi Hyuga, right? I haven't been in town for a while, traveling sage and all that."

"You mean traveling perv."

"That too." Naruto sighed as he signed his name in blood. It was pointless to insult someone who took it as a complement.

"Alright, now all you need to do to summon is gather a large amount of chakra, get some blood on your hand you used to sign the contract, do the seals I showed you, and then touch the ground."

Needless to say, it wasn't that easy. Naruto was still working on getting a frog without a thrice damned tail in his third week. Everyday he would return back to his home and nearly collapse from exhaustion. His family was worried about him, true, but he needed to do it. It was tearing him up that he could learn a jonin level jutsu in a night, an S-ranked jutsu over a few months, but this skill he couldn't seem to understand. It was weird, like the way he was shaping the chakra wasn't the right way, even though he was doing the right hand signs.

Some good did come out of spending time with the pervert, though. Some good… but a lot more bad. Naruto finally understood why the Hiraishin was a forbidden jutsu and why people seemed to die when they used it, according to Kakashi-sensei.

"The seal you are using is wrong."

"NANI? But I copied it… I mean the guy I…"

"Shut up, I don't care how you got this jutsu. The fact you didn't die after one use is amazing. The seal is what makes this jutsu so powerful. The creator of the jutsu could do it hundreds, sometimes thousands of times in a row without stopping. The seal you have here is his, exactly his, and no one else's."

"So… you're saying that it is his seal, meaning I need to make my own seal to use the technique correctly?"

"Kind of. You just can't go making some random seal. This seal was specifically made to make one person's exact traits be able to use it. The fact you are close in traits to the man who made it let you survive, but the chakra you use is roughly a hundred times more then he used. If you didn't have an abnormal amount of chakra to begin with you would have died like everyone else that had tried it. The seal you want already exists, really. You just need to figure out what it is."

"So I need to figure out my own seal?"

"Right. I am surprised you haven't outright died from the stress this jutsu should be putting on your body."

"Well, I am a fast healer."

"Yeah, I know."

"So, how do I figure out what my own seal looks like?"

"How the hell should I know?"

That statement earned the pervert a smack to the head. I truth, the old guy had really no idea how Naruto could come up with his own seal. Naruto also had no idea, but decided that after he could summon a toad the size of ero-sennin's he would find something to read on the basics of seals.

His relationship with Hinata was on the fritz though this time. Technically, they would be facing each other at the end of the month. Well, they might be facing each other in the second round. His first day of training had ended with a summons to the Hokage's office, where he was given his opponent. Naruto would be facing Lee in the first round, Hinata would be facing Neji, Choji would be facing Shino, Shikamaru would be fighting Kankuro, and Sasuke would be facing Gaara. Naruto knew a lot about Lee already, the speed and taijutsu expert. Naruto had heard about his training with Gai, a very… interesting jonin, to say the least.

He barely had time to even see Hinata, let alone talk with her or ask her out... to train. Yeah, that's what he wanted to do with Hinata.

Hinata would be going up against her cousin, a so called prodigy, in the first round. Naruto didn't know how to respond to that. He knew Hinata was strong, but she had never actually had to go up against the Hyuga juken style in years. Neji also bore a grudge, apparently, so that could make him either incredibly dangerous or too emotional to actually put up a fight. But, given that he was a prodigy and a Hyuga, it would most likely just make him all the more dangerous.

Naruto came up on the one week countdown until the finals before he finally managed to summon a small toad by the name of Gamakichi, but besides the fact that it had no tail and could talk it still was only about the size of two of Naruto's fists. And he was damn rude, but Naruto bonded with him pretty quickly after he used Jiriya's new nickname. A few snacks later and Naruto had made a friend in the summoning world. He had to go back soon after, though.

"DAMN IT! Why can't I just get it right! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M DOING WRONG AND ALL THAT DAMN PERV IS DOING IS LOOKING AT GIRLS!" Naruto was sick and tired of waiting to summon a bigger toad.

_Kyuubi!_

_**What?**_

_Give me some power, now._

_**Fine. But only a little.**_

Suddenly, Naruto felt the same feeling he had had on the bridge come back, but stronger. Even Jiriya turned around from the beautiful bathing babes he had been watching to see a red glowing Naruto.

_I can feel it. The extra power. Kyuubi?_

_**What?**_

_This power… it doesn't feel like before._

_**You mean the hatred and the anger and the rage?**_

_Yeah._

_**Those aren't my emotions, they came from you.**_

_I as kinda hoping…_

_**That it was me? That you didn't have it in you to actually kill all those bastards and it was all a bad reaction to my power?**_

_Yeah…_

_**The hell… you're a ninja last time I checked, so act like one! Weren't you going to, oh, I don't know, use the power!**_

_Fine!_

"Summoning Jutsu!" Naruto pumped every ounce of chakra he had into the summoning, which was not going to help. But in his anger and rush he did something he had not done before. He had coated his hand in blood from an angry bite of his thumb that went deeper then he normally did. He had no idea that summoning with small amounts of blood makes it harder to get stronger summons._ If this isn't enough to get a big frog, then I don't know what I'll do. _

Naruto had nothing to worry about, though. The toad he had summoned was not only as big as the ero-sennin's, but it was about twenty times bigger.

"HELL YEAH!" Naruto was standing on the largest creature he had ever seen. A giant toad with a pipe in his mouth and a sword on his waist that was the size of the Hokage tower was now sharing its head with Naruto.

"**What am I doing here? There is no fight. Jiraiya?! Where is that pervert?"**

"Yo, Gama-sama. Ero-sennin is right back there. But I was the one who summoned you." Naruto couldn't help but have his smile grow wider.

"**WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"**

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"**Do you even know who I am? JIRAIYA! WHAT IS THIS BRAT DOING ON MY HEAD?" Jiriya was suddenly on the ground in front of the massive toad.**

"Gamabunta-sama, that young man is Naruto Uzumaki, you know…_ that_ Naruto."

"**That Naruto?"**

"Hai, and I gave him the contract to summon toads. I did not think he would be able to summon you during practice. All of my apologies."

"**Hm…"** Naruto was laying on his back completely asleep from using up all of his chakra at once. **"I thought for sure it would have been you, but the chakra used to summon me was… not human in strength. The fox explains some of it, but it seems like he would be able to summon me on his own with the amount of pure chakra he put out. He put enough chakra in that to summon me five times over."**

"I thought as much also, but the kid doesn't have the control for the quantity he has. It is like my old student all over again…" The giant toad brought a hand up to the scar on his head.

"**Let's hope he meets a much better end then his father. I am glad to have met this new summoner. Next time, though, tell him to summon me only in a fight. I hate coming here when there is nothing to do. Unless drink is provided. Then summon me all you want. I look forward to the next time we share a sake together."**

"I look forward to that day too, Bunta-sama." Jiriya knew that it would probably never happen again, because the last time it did it had used up a fair portion of his bank acount with the cost of the sake the old toad drank. And his bank account was loaded.

"**Good bye, then."** The toad vanished into a cloud of smoke, which left Naruto asleep on the ground, still unconscious. Jiriya picked him up and dropped him off at the Hyuga residence, careful to not show himself to Hiashi. There wasn't any reason to get a reunion together, and it was common knowledge that most Hyuga women were already taken by the age of three. The manor would have been torture to him.

"Well, Naruto. It looks like you have the rest of the day o ff."

* * *

One week before the finals.

It was time for the contestants to wrap things up. Naruto had no idea what the rest of the ninja involved were doing, except Hinata who he saw every night if only for a short amount of time. He figured whatever she was doing was tiring, because she seemed to fall asleep as fast as he did.

Naruto, after summoning the large frog, had gone to the Third to learn about seals. He had tried to get something out of him, but the old man had balked at the thought of teaching a potential chunin what he implied were jonin level sealing techniques. Naruto kept trying to say that it wasn't sealing jutsu he wanted, but how to make seals, but the Third implied that there wasn't much difference. Naruto had gone around town, searching book stores and scroll libraries. He had gotten permission to look through the Hyuga family scroll library. He had even begged various jonins that he had never even seen before in attempts to get information on seals. The only information he got that referred to his predicament was that the Fourth had been the first to ever make a jutsu based on personal seals and that the information was lost with his death.

Naruto refused to believe it, and was determined to either find out how to make them, or find out how the Fourth learned how to make them. He continued to practice both his water walking and his summoning, but usually it was only to summon Gamakichi as a spectator and then practice Hiraishin. He had gotten to the point where he could attempt a thrown Hiraishin in a battle, but it would drain him severally, and he could do about five to stationary seals. He knew he was ready one day after he removed his weights. He had not removed them in slightly over two years. When he removed them completely he realized exactly how fast he could be. He was smiling as he dropped them a few times. It was fun to watch them break the ground in half. He had fun racing kunai he would throw. It wasn't like the Hiraishin, that was for sure, but Rock Lee was going to be in for a surprise when Naruto Uzumaki dropped his own weights.

In all of the excitement he did not notice a white haired man watching over him train. Jiraiya, the toad sennin, had a lot to think about.

* * *

AN: I guess the chunin exams will begin in the next chapter. As well as, maybe, a last-day-before-the-finals-date between our two favorite ninja.


	14. The Finals Begin

AN: O.k, So I am trying to make up for the late update last Wednesday. Hope everyone truly enjoys the finals! Alright, and I am now going to try to explain the bracket. It is really weird, with ten people in it. But here we go. There are five opening fights, Naruto v Lee, Neji v Hinata, Shino v Choji, Shikamaru v Kankuro, Sasuke v Gaara. The winner of round 5 gets a pass on the next round, meaning the winner of NvL and NvH will fight, and the winner of SvC and SvK will fight. Then the winners, all three, will face off in a three on three final round. If anyone thinks that shouldn't be in a chunin exam, oh well. Konoha gets invaded anyway, right?

Review Responses:

In response to Agent-G:

"She wore a cloth around her empty eye sockets, so that no one freaked out like Sakura and Ino had on the first day of ninja academy. Their screaming had made them permanent residents of a group Naruto didn't like. The ones who based opinions on looks. They didn't like him and he didn't like them." - from chap 2, or three counting the prologue.

I had a new forehead protector plate made for Hinata's headband which she wears over her… face. - ch 5 (6) (I am implying she replaced the cloth with her headband over her eyes.)

SO, in answer to your questions. Yes, the sockets are empty, but she never opens them and keeps them completely covered except in sleep. She looks like 12 year old Hinata from the manga, but her head band is wrapped around her forehead, low enough to cover her eyes but above her nose.

I left her eyes empty for the very reason that I had no reason to fill them. Consider it a symbolic status caused by her confidence in Naruto to retrieve her original eyes

In response to youngjun:

Maybe I should have put it in more clear words. Her style is close to the Juken, but different to bring her natural agility into play with a lack of the stability needed to hit tenketsu. Her arm across her body was completely across her body, like if you put your right arm right now and touched your elbow, that far across her body. Her left arm was out palm open, not like a juken 'stop', but like a knife hand strike in martial arts or, for those not involved in MA, like she was holding a tray or something. Get it better? And lower then the anime or manga show her. The idea of the stance is to dodge the low strikes and be too low to have any other strikes capable of hitting you. With her speed, she pulls it off.

* * *

Chapter 13: The Finals Begin

* * *

Naruto was ready. It was the day he had been waiting for, the day of the finals. The rest of the Hyuga family, including the girl he might be forced to fight, had already left to get their seats in the front. Naruto was taking his time. He stretched and relaxed while walking through the outer areas of Konoha, trying to not run into anyone. He didn't feel like talking to anyone, it might throw off his mindset.

He walked calmly through the trees, thinking about the fights to come. He knew Lee's style, he knew he could win. If he beat Lee then he would have a chance of going against either Hyuga. Neji was a blank slate, but Hinata… well, it was hard enough to spar with her. She was already strong, but Naruto just didn't know if he had it in him to actually fight her to the point where she would get hurt. Really, he had no idea why he felt that way. Why the hell should he be afraid of hurting a girl who could end the battle with one shot? And why did sparring with her create feelings of nausea and regret, two things that he hardly ever felt. It was like he just… couldn't fight his hardest against her.

_Well, I guess I could just hope she loses… but that makes me feel worse! I wish that life wasn't this weird. It doesn't help that I have this fox in me, either._

_**I could help if you wanted me to, but you have told me over and over this last month that you "don't want the damn kitsune's help."**_

_Maybe I wouldn't mind some help right now. Do you have any idea why I can't fight against Hinata?_

_**Hai, you're her betrothed.**_

_What does that have to do with anything?_

_**Ever heard about this thing called… sexual desire?**_

If the people waiting to get into the stands of the finals stadium listened carefully, they would have been able to barely hear someone shouting an incredibly loud 'Nani' followed by the sound of the same person walking face first into a tree.

"What the hell? No, I don't think about that kind of thing!"

_**Calm down, you're talking aloud again.**_

_Fine, but that is the last thing on my mind._

_**So the last thing on your mind can cause you to… oh, I don't know… pass out from blood loss in the hall way of you house from seeing a little ass?**_

Another smash into a tree.

_That! That was… that… that was…_

_**That was you taking your imagination to places that it is socially inappropriate to go. You like her body. That is why you don't want to hurt her body.**_

_I can't accept that._

_**Why?**_

_I'm not like that! It isn't like I can't fight against a beautiful girl, just Hinata-chan. And that would be lowering the level of my feelings, they aren't all like that._

_**Well, in that case you obviously love the girl. And I can't help you on that, because if there was one thing demons don't understand, it is the human ability to love.**_

_I… I don't know about that. The love thing…_

_**Well, let's see. Best friend, check. Making irrational promises, check. Do stuff with her that you wouldn't do with anyone else, check. THINKING about doing things with her that you don't think about doing with anyone else, check. Willingness to sacrifice your life for hers, check. Let's see… oh, and there is that whole thing about marriage in a few years that you have yet to complain about. After my long and tiresome life, I have taken notice of this thing called love, and you are covered in symptoms. I personally can't feel it, but you look like the others did. Right before I ate them to shut them up.**_

_Maybe I do… but I don't really know, do I? Sure, I think she is beautiful. More beautiful than any other girl I know. And she is kind and shy and understanding and doesn't care about the fact you are in me and…_

_**See? You like her. And not in a platonic sense.**_

… _I hate you and your big words._

_**Not as just a friend.**_

_Oh._

_**It isn't that big of a deal, really. Just remember, she probably doesn't want to fight you either.**_

_What? She can pound me in our spars!_

_**Yeah, but she never hits with her whole strength in places that could cause you serious harm, even when they are left wide open.**_

_You really don't think much of my taijutsu, do you?_

_**No. I think it is your second worst weakness next to genjutsu.**_

_Well, I doubt I will ever really improve in genjutsu…_

_**I agree, so start getting better at taijutsu. You need to be good at it or you won't get a chance to use your ninjutsu, which is your only **__**real asset worth anything.**_

_My speed is an asset._

_**Your speed is useful to taijutsu and getting in position to use ninjutsu, but with half of the advantage not being used due to your lack in taijutsu skills it really isn't as great as you make it out to be.**_

_You're mean. I am damn fast!_

_**Yeah, but what is speed unless you know how to use it?**_

_Alright. I agreed to listen to your advice. Next thing I work on will be my taijutsu. I don't think it is that bad, really…_

_**Just wait, Rock Lee is going to kick your ass bad.**_

_You have no faith in me, do you?_

_**I have no faith in anything. Prove your strength if you want me to believe in it.**_

_Ok, I will._

Naruto had reached the last training ground before heading off into the city. It was exactly as he had last seen it. Three logs for training, open grassy area, Hinata-chan standing next to one of the logs… wait

"Hinata-chan?" With a small 'eep' and a spin faster then Naruto had ever seen, Hinata was behind the training ground logs. When she saw who it was, she loosened up a little… but just a little. A small smile came over her face.

"N…Naruto-kun. Gomen… I… I was just…"

"Thinking?"

"Hai."

"Really, me too! Just another thing we have in common!" Both friends just watched each other in silence, one wondering what he meant, the other wondering why the hell he had just said that.

"Hey, Hinata-chan. Why aren't you already at the stadium? I thought you all left almost an hour ago?"

"Hai, we did. Demo… I… I wanted to think…"

"About the upcoming fights? Yeah, it is going to be tough."

"Not just that…" Hinata was staring very intently at the ground next to her feet. She had an expression that Naruto had never seen on he before. Deep thought, sadness, nervousness, maybe a little bit of… anger?

"What's wrong, Hinata-chan? This isn't about maybe fighting me, is it?"

"No! And yes… I don't know. It really is about Neji. For the first time in many years a branch member and a main family member are going to fight in public. Otou-san said that he will love me whether I win or lose… but the entire elder counsel will be there! They are the ones who decide if I get to be heir, and if I lose it will just be one more reason to seal me. And Neji… Neji is really strong. Everyone says he is the strongest Hyuga to some along in decades…"

"No, that isn't true."

"Ano…"

"Hinata-chan, if Neji was really all that strong he would be able to realize that it isn't your father's or your fault that his father is dead. He has some issues that need to be straightened out, that's it. And remember, you are strong too. He doesn't know how you fight, and you know how he will, so you have the advantage."

"But what… what happens if I win?"

"If… if you win?"

"Hai… then I will be facing…"

"Me."

"Hai."

"Well… we just spar! You know, like in training. And if one of us thinks that the other has already won, then they give up, just like in training." Hinata brightened up a little.

"I like… that idea, Naruto-kun."

"Alright then, it's a promise. You know I would never want to hurt you."

"I… I never want to hurt you either, Naruto-kun."

"That's good… hey, after today we can finally go on that date to Ichiraku Ramen! It will be a celebration of you and me getting chunin!" Hinata blushed so much her head seemed to glow.

"A… I… sure, I love… I would love that." _I almost told him!_

"Yeah, let's go. Don't want to be late, because I know Lee won't be."

"Alright." Naruto walked over to Hinata, who seemed to be using the log to hold herself up and offered his hand. She took it with the blush still on her face and they walked towards the stadium and the beginning of the finals.

* * *

The stadium was packed. The Kazekage and the Hokage sat in the kage box overlooking the contestants. They were all there, except the Uchiha. But that was expected. The Hokage had received a last minute note from Kakashi explaining his absence and had given permission for an alteration in the schedule of the finals. He thought that it would probably be a better final match because of it. The exam proctor, different from the prelims, announced the change to both the contestants and the audience.

"May I have your attention! As you can see from the brackets of the tournament, there are ten contestants, meaning that that one person is getting a round free. We have not changed the fighter's pairings, but the order in which they go is changed. The first two rounds will be fought, and then the winners will fight in their second round immediately, then the fighters of round 3 and 4 will fight, followed by the winners fighting each other in their second match as well. Then match 5 will proceed, followed by a short intermission and the final round. Thank you for your understanding."

No one had any idea what the hell he was saying when he thanked them for their understanding. It seemed like the people in the first four matches were being screwed over. Shikamaru cleared it up.

"Basically, the fight between the Uchiha and Gaara is a really important match. And, for some reason, Sasuke is not here yet and I bet he won't be here for a while. This is a stall tactic so that he won't lose by forfeit."

"Isn't that like cheating?"

"Yeah, but if all the judges agree that it is better to have the match then to make him lose by forfeit, then they can get away with it."

"That sucks. Hey, Shino."

"Yes, Naruto?"

"Good luck, see you in the final round."

"Same to you, but I think you should watch out for Hinata."

"When do I not? I was just saying that I will see you in the final round, not that I was going to be fighting in it."

"… good point. Alright then."

"The first match is about to begin, may all the participants of the chunin finals return to their seats until it is their match. Rock Lee and Uzumaki Naruto, remain on the field."

"Good luck, Naruto-kun."

"Thank you, Hinata-chan."

* * *

Seconds are a general way to tell time in battle. Minutes take to long and usually it takes more then a second to perform an action. Seconds are short enough, yet long enough to be useful to tell time in ninja fights. But in the fight that was about to take place, seconds were going to be too long to use as measurements…

"Naruto, it is good to see you again."

"Same to you, Lee. I told you I would see you in the finals."

"Indeed you did, I enjoyed your fight with Kiba."

"Your fight with Ino was more of an instantaneous knock out, but it was a good display of speed."

"That wasn't even a fraction of my true speed."

"And I haven't even begun to show mine."

"Really? This might be a match to enjoy." Lee sunk a little into the iron fist stance. Naruto sunk a little into a common taijutsu stance.

"I know it will be."

"Naruto Uzumaki, Rock Lee, are you both ready?" The stands went silent.

"Hai."

"Hai."

Both ninja stood in their traditional stances with absolute confidence in their abilities. A smirk showed on both of their faces, proving to each other that they would win. They _knew_ they would win. Only one would be right, and only one would win, but… but they were accepting of that. Whoever won would deserve it.

"Then BEGIN!"

Naruto drew a kunai with one hand. Only two people in the audience knew why it was special, why it was different. One was sitting next to her teammate, rooting in her heart for her love to win. The other had a book near his face yet wasn't reading it.

Lee rushed Naruto, proving his speed again. To the non-ninja and even some of the chunin it looked like Lee disappeared and reappeared behind Naruto a moment later. Naruto barely had time to even turn his head as Lee brought his leg up in a falling ax kick. Half the people in the audience thought it was the end when the kick descended with a speed that would have driven a kage into the dirt. When, instead of the sound of a shoulder being broken, a clang was heard they all saw what really had happened. Naruto had his left hand behind his back and above his head with the kunai that had been in his right hand now blocking the kick. Everyone froze.

Lee was surprised. He jumped back, noticing that if his weights hadn't blocked the kunai, he would have literally cut his own foot off. And he had stopped it instantly, there were small craters around Naruto's feet showing the force he had blocked. But… he hadn't even shown an effort in switching a kunai to his other hand, and blocking a full forced kick!

"You are stronger then I thought, Naruto."

"You are slower then I thought. Take them off." The audience, except a few stunned jonin, including Might Gai and Gai's team, had no idea what Naruto was talking about. The ones who did had only one thought._ HE WANTS LEE TO TAKE THEM OFF!?_

"Alright, I will." Lee knelt down and unwrapped his leg warmers. He lifted them both out in front of him before tossing them back over his shoulder. No one seemed to understand until they hit the wall of the arena. When the wall suddenly had a crater in it and a crack running from its top to its bottom. Lee smiled. Naruto returned it.

"Alright, then. Let's get back to it." This time, it was Naruto's turn to disappear. Lee did the same. Halfway in between, they clashed with kunai. Disappear. Fifty feet away, another flash of people followed by a clang. The sound wasn't even heard by the audience before the two had vanished again. A tree was split in half. A trench dug in the ground. Hyuga's had activated Byakugan, but only saw blurs of chakra all over the area. It was only a five second clash, but before they appeared again the arena had been ravaged.

The Hokage was staring in shock at Naruto ad the boy everyone knew couldn't use jutsu, as was most of the audience. They were equally shocked at both Naruto and Lee._ When did you gain this strength and speed, Naruto? What else are you hiding…_

Suddenly, the two appeared again, this time in the middle of the area with locked kunai. Lee and Naruto were both gasping for breath. The difference was that Naruto was smiling as he gasped and Lee was looking surprised.

"Naruto… you…"

"Yep."

"Take them off, make it a fair fight!" Now everyone was surprised… and scared. Did he really mean…

"Fine." Naruto lifted his pant leg to reveal a small black band of weights, not even close to the size of Lee's. Lee smiled for a moment until Naruto removed them and tossed them over his shoulder as Lee had done with a smirk. His throw didn't reach a wall. The entire stadium shook as they hit the ground. Where they hit was a crater that was five meters in radius and at least three deep. Lee stared with his mouth open, as did everyone. Hiashi suddenly remembered what he had been told when he bought those weights nine years in the past.

"_Yeah, where the normal weights can take either real weights or chakra, these new ones I just got can change their weight automatically. As soon as he gets used to a weight, they automatically raise the weight. He won't even know how much he is wearing."_

_Naruto… how much weight were you carrying?_

Naruto was ready to continue. Lee closed his mouth and got ready to fight his hardest. Naruto was gone, but not too much faster then before. Lee had always guessed that there was a limit to the max speed of a human. The extra weight Naruto had wouldn't make him so much faster because going too much faster would be impossible, beyond the laws of physics. But Naruto was still barely faster than Lee. They both ran at each other again, this time they met much closer to where Lee had started. When they met, Naruto blocked Lee's kunai with his own and also hit him in the side. Not a paralyzing kidney shot that could have killed him at full strength, but it hurt. Lee pushed against Naruto, but was surprised when Naruto pushed back harder… much harder. Lee went sailing through the air before landing some distance away.

_I am sorry, sensei. I might need to use… that._

"I am sorry Naruto, but I must fight my hardest."

Lee unwrapped the bandages around his arms just a bit. Naruto just looked at him from across the field, catching his breath. Lee's eyes met his.

"Omoto Renge."

Naruto jumped to the side the second he heard this, but wasn't able to dodge in time. Lee had increased in speed again. Now he was much faster then Naruto. _How the hell is he able to do this? _Naruto was kicked in the side with a kick that had been aimed at his chin, but instead of regaining his balanced he was thrown across the field and into a wall, cracking it. _So... strong..._ Where was he keeping it? Naruto managed to jump out of the rubble, but that had been Lee's plan. He was caught in midair with no way to change direction. Lee was instantly in front of him, with a kick in his stomach.

Naruto coughed blood.

Kick after kick, Lee followed Naruto into the air. Only when they were at a height of over fifty feet did Lee stop and disappear. Or at least that was Naruto thought until he felt the bandages wrap around him.

_Shit... wait..._

Lee started spinning with Naruto in his grasp. They plunged towards the earth at ludicrous speeds. When they hit, a huge cloud of dust exploded from the ground.

Instantly all the people that knew the two were on their feet. Hiashi looked worried, as did most everyone. Only Hinata, strangely, didn't seem worried.

Lee jumped from the pit he had made, panting and frowning. More than frowning, actually. He was down right angry. Most everyone in the audience was surprised when Lee hit himself in the head , muttering to himself.

Surprised, until Naruto jumped out of a tree pantng just as much as Lee was. Both looked at the other.

"Substitution."

"Right, but damn those kicks hit hard." Naruto cringed as he rubbed his shoulder, one of the targets of Lee's omoto renge. If it hadn't had been just slightly off target due to Naruto's attempts to dodge, his shoulder would have been dislocated. As it was, at least two ribs were broken. Lee looked drained, and Naruto knew Lee felt it as well. Lee was looking at the ground for a moment, still trying to catch his breath. Naruto was surprised to see him look up with a sad smile.

"I'm sorry Naruto. You are truly a worthy opponent. But I will end this with the next attack. The lotus of Konoha blowms twice."

But before Lee even had a chance in inhale he saw something that made his eyes go wide. Naruto had gone from in front of him to beside him. He couldn't even move, he was just able to perceive Naruto passing by him. He turned his head as fast as he could, but it seemed as if time had stopped. He had turned his head ten degrees when his body felt the blow. Lee was sent flying over a hundred feet into the wall of the arena. Naruto appeared to had just gone from one place to another instantly. No one had noticed Naruto dropping a kunai behind where Lee had stood earlier in the match. No one had noticed that Naruto had two kunai in his hand. No one even noticed when he quickly pocketed them both and drew a regular one. They were all staring at where Lee lay unconscious. Might Gai, his jonin sensei, was beside him already. Naruto walked over to him.

"He's ok, right?"

"Yes, he will be fine."

"I didn't want to end it there, really. I wanted to give him a chance to fight me some more so he would have a greater chance of becoming chunin, but I saw in his eyes that he had one last thing up his sleeves that was dangerous to me… and probably himself."

"You're right. He did. You made the right choice. I am glad Lee was able to fight one so full of the fires of youth!"

"The winner of match one, Naruto Uzumaki!"

Naruto suddenly remembered where he was and what he had just done. He looked up into the stands to find not one seat with a person not cheering and clapping… except a couple. Neji and Gaara. Naruto smiled. They would get their chance, and if Naruto had anything to say about it, they weren't going to be able to use it.

* * *

Naruto walked up the stairs to his spot next to Shino. On his way, though, he met Hinata.

"Naruto-kun! You were amazing! I had no idea you were able to be that fast!"

"Well, you know it was actually the Hiraishin in the end. I am glad I finally was able to mask the flash. Otherwise it might have looked like the ninjutsu it is instead of just pure speed. I want to keep it a secret, make people think that Lee was just too tired. I'll tell him, though. He deserves to know that between us, he wins in a pure taijutsu battle."

"He would like that. He was the fastest person I knew… before I knew you were faster."

"He still had some speed in him, I think."

"But still... you were really fast."

"Well, thank Hiashi-sama for that. He gave me the weights when I was three. The day before your birthday."

"Wow…" They awkwardly stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Well, good luck Hinata-chan. I know you will do great!"

"Arigato, Naruto-kun." She smiled that cute little smile at him that reminded him about his chat with Kyuubi._ Yeah… so this is love, eh?_ Naruto leaned over and before she had a chance to blink he had kissed her on the cheek for the second time. This time they both barely remained conscious. He gave a silly grin before waving and running up the stairs. Hinata was forced to walk down the rest of the way leaning on the handrails. When she reached the entrance she shook herself a little before becoming entirely serious. It was time to show people exactly what a short blind girl could do.

* * *

"The next match, round two. Hyuga Hinata against Hyuga Neji. Ready?"

"Before we begin… Hinata-sama, give up."

"Wha… what?"

"Give up, you stand no chance against me."

"No."

"You… are sure of yourself?"

"Naruto-kun believes in me, why would I not? I am ready to start."

"Very well, I am ready to begin as well."

"Then begin!"

Both Hyugas dropped into their stances, Neji into a traditional Hyuga stance and Hinata into her own. Both of them knew, the first to hit the other's arms first would win. But, life never was that simple.

Neji started by coming at her, throwing his first palm strike at her shoulder, which she expertly parried. If he had been a lesser ninja, it would have thrown him off balance for her next attack. He barely managed to block her opening strike with his other hand to her wrist, and it still almost hit him. Neji learned in the first opening that Hinata was fast, faster then any other Hyuga. Her style allowed for it, because she had no need to worry about hitting tenketsu. But he had the advantage. He knew how she saw without eyes.

Their fight went on, trading blows at a speed and ferocity that, despite that they didn't move from the spot they started in, rivaled Lee and Naruto's visible battle. Where bodies had blurred, now arms blurred. Hinata was confident, she was pushing Neji harder then she had ever pushed anyone. She was unleashing the full force of her attacks. Not one had actually touched him yet, but if one did he wouldn't move whatever she hit for weeks. And she hadn't even brought her feet into the equation. She smirked, which threw Neji off. Hinata blocked his latest strike by using both of her hands to grab his wrist, technically leaving her open to counter strikes with his other hand, but she was quicker. She jumped up and dragged Neji towards her before unleashing an attack normal juken users weren't capable of. She kicked Neji's free arm in the elbow. Neji didn't have a chance to block due to the shock from being attacked in such a way. When he was thrown underneath the jumping Hinata and got back to his feet, he realized something that made him very concerned.

His left arm wouldn't move.

He glanced down at it. It wasn't broken, just stunned. Hinata landed and turned with a disappointed look on her face. Her attack hadn't connected as well as she had wanted to. She had been hoping he would have extended his arm more towards her before her kick had hit. If he had done that his arm would have broken.

"Hinata-sama, that is an interesting technique you have there. Too bad I understand fully what makes it all possible." Neji came back at her, this time with one arm. But his speed had increased, almost matching Hinata's. He even managed to use his partially stunned arm to block some of her attacks. No more would get through. Neji was merely stalling for time.

Hinata continued on her assault, with renewed fervor. She could hit him, she could win. Then, the pivotal moment in the battle occurred. Hinata threw herself into an opening she saw. It was only for a moment, but she saw her cousin smirk. Then she saw the blue surrounding him build up to massive proportions.

_No…_

"KAITEN!" Hinata was thrown through the air and skid across the ground. Naruto, Hiashi and Hanabi all stood up in the stands, Naruto had his fists clenched.

"Otou-san… was that…"

"Hai, Hanabi. That was it."

"What? What the hell was that?" Naruto had appeared beside them from his place next to Shino.

"Kaiten, the Hyuga perfect defense."

Neji stopped spinning, grimacing at his injured arm's pain. Hinata managed to stand up, but she looked disoriented. No one except Neji knew why.

"Did you like that, Hinata-sama? A wall of chakra to disrupt your sight?"

"WHAT?" Naruto was running towards the railing in the front row.

"What… what do you mean?" Hinata couldn't see. She had no idea what was wrong, her jutsu was still active. It was as if nothing was right anymore. Everything was so messed up in her head. She somehow knew she had collapsed again, but didn't understand why her legs weren't moving as she asked them to. To everyone else it looked like a very drunk person trying to get to their feet, and only falling down over and over again.

"I mean I know how you can see. I watched you fight Sakura and I understand the jutsu. You send your chakra through the headband over you eyes and then back through your brain. But what happens when foreign chakra gets in? I'll tell you what I see right now. You brain is on the fritz, it doesn't know what is up or down, because I disrupted it violently. My chakra is in your head now, and your brain doesn't know what to do with it."

Hinata knew that to be true as soon as he said it. She didn't know what was going on, she barely heard what he was saying, the chakra was causing her to doubt reality. She was kneeling on the ground before she vomited.

"You see, Hinata-sama. Even with your special jutsu you are no match for me. Without the Byakugan you are not worthy to be called Hyuga. And when you finally realize that and accept your fate you will be branded like me and share my suffering and hatred.

Hinata was barely comprehending anything anymore, the fact of the matter was that she couldn't see or comprehend what she felt. But she was slowly getting back to reality, enough that she could stand up without falling. At least... she thought that was what she was doing.

"So, you can actually stand? Just give up, or I will really have to hurt you."

"N…no… I won't… I… won't give up…" Hinata charged towards the voice.

"Then you will die."

Two opponents ran towards each other on the battle field. One was blind, the other could see. But who was the blind one?

Neji ran towards Hinata with rage in his heart, Hinata ran with the desire to prove herself worthy. Both ran with the weight of an overbearing family on their backs. Neji drew back his right palm, Hinata drew hers as well. As they reached each other they threw their last strikes…

Hinata's palm collided with Neji's palm to everyone's surprise, but Neji's left palm collided with Hinata's chest, direct center. Her left palm was left dangling at her side.

Neji smirked as Hinata's body slid off his arm and fell into the dirt. She coughed out blood as she lay on the ground. Everyone was stunned except the person to appear by her side. Naruto knelt by her and helped her lay face up in his lap. He carefully wiped the blood from her mouth.

"N…Naruto-kun?"

"Hinata-chan, I'm right here."

As Naruto held Hinata many things went on. Neji was announced the victor. Medic teams came to gather Hinata, who had passed out and had begun to twitch as he held her. She coughed up more blood then was ever healthy for someone to lose. Naruto watched Neji retreat towards the exit.

"Not so fast… teme." Neji stopped. The voice he had heard did not come from anyone he knew. He turned to see Naruto standing with his hands covered in Hinata's blood. His face towards the ground.

"It's my turn to fight you, **remember**?" Naruto didn't look up at him as his fists clenched in the dirt and the blood.

"You think you have a chance against me?" Neji didn't like the feeling he was getting from the boy on the ground. It felt like…

_Killing intent!_

Suddenly Naruto looked up at Neji. His pupils had gone from round to slits. His face was pure rage. Neji fell like vomiting, but didn't let it show. The only person on the field, the proctor of the exam, backed away from Naruto. Killing intent directed at Neji flooded out from Naruto in a wave that took everyone in the stands for a loop. Citizens threw up, some passed out, even some chunin started to sweat. Neji's face remained impassive as Naruto held out a blood soaked fist.

"**Remember? I will fight you now, and I will win… for Hinata-chan. It's your turn to bleed.**"

Up in the stands sat many people, most had no idea what was going on. Kakashi and Kurenai sat with fear on their faces, remembering the last time Naruto's voice had done that. The Hokage sat with a worried look, wondering how it would turn out. Iruka, who was sitting next to ANBU member Anko, who was on duty but not in the outfit, was worried for his student. Anko was feeling the killing intent and wondering how a child so young could create it unless he had gone through the same things she had.

Gaara of the desert just smiled.


	15. War

AN: I am updating now because my last chapter got some excellent reception AND I know what I want to do.

* * *

Chapter 14: War

* * *

"Kami… that bastard…"

"Shut up and work! Keep …stabilized!"

"… the… arrest… chakra…"

_Is… is this what it feels like to… die?_

"… chakra… it ripped… damage…"

_It… doesn't hurt as much as I thought… just hard to breathe…_

"The kid… demon… better save her…"

_Demon? N…Naruto-kun?_

"Hinata! Stay with us… you… breathe… awake…"

_But it's so hard… where's Naruto-kun?_

"Can… hear us? Hinata? … leave me… Naruto…"

_Naruto-kun? I… want… Naruto-kun…_

_I can't give up… yet…_

"Sir! Heart… stabilized… shallow… but steady… make it."

"Oh thank kami! Hinata! …stay… don't give…

_I can't die yet… not now… not yet… not until I see… Naruto-kun…_

_

* * *

_

Three figures stood in an arena covered in silence. One with his hand outstretched and covered in the blood of another. The other waiting for the third to do something. The third wanted to call everything off. Genma, the proctor of the chunin exam finals, looked towards the kage's seat with an unspoken question in his eyes. The Hokage, the Third leader of Konoha, rose in his seat.

"Naruto!"

The boy with a raised fist turned to face the old man with rage in his eyes… and maybe something more…

"The next battle will begin in five minutes! Naruto, I wish to see you here, now!"

Naruto dropped his fist and, with a sneer, jumped his way to the kage's box. The Hokage and Kazekage with their personal guards were there to meet him.

"Naruto, what was…"

"That was nothing. Let me fight!" Up close, Naruto looked slightly worst then usual. It didn't help that his pupil's kept changing shape in front of the Hokage. The Kazekage noticeably tensed at seeing him.

"Naruto, you must be calm…"

"Oh, I'll be calm. Just watch, in a few minutes I am going to calmly go down there and rip that bastard's head from his shoulders. I'll show perfect calm while doing it." The Hokage had never seen Naruto like this. It was frightening. Before he had another chance to speak, another person appeared directly outside the kage box. Kurenai looked just as frightened as the Hokage.

"Naruto, calm down a little."

"Sensei, why should I?"

"Hinata will be fine…"

"Do you think I'm a baka? I know what it means to mess with a person's brain! I heard what the medics were saying as they carried her away! I can tell you right now that she is not OK and if she… if she…"

"Naruto, Hinata would not want that!"

"The hell she wouldn't!"

"Think about it! Would Hinata ever consider taking revenge? Would she want you to be consumed by rage? Remember what happened last time!"

Naruto seemed to sober at his memories. A shocked look came over him, followed by one of guilt. The Hokage watched as his eyes kept changing shape until they remained, mostly, in a more human shape.

"Naruto, showing emotion in battle is not a trait we look for in chunins, so gather yourself up and get back down there as a ninja, not as a person who just saw a friend get hurt. This is not the time for such foolishness!" Secretly, the Hokage was very glad Naruto had clamed down. It meant he wouldn't need to be disqualified.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Naruto stared off into space with a blank look as he called the old man a title he never would use under normal circumstances.

"As your sensei, Naruto, I would advise you to either promise to control your emotions or forfeit now for the sake of everyone's safety. You know why."

"I will not forfeit…"

"Then don't do that again! Do you know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of those outbursts? At least twenty lower lever ninja here just threw up. Naruto I won't let you take it much farther then that. I can tell you that if you start to do a reenactment of the land of waves…"

"It won't happen."

"Good. My apologies, Hokage-sama." The jonin vanished.

"Alright then, Naruto. Get back out there. Hinata is recieving Konoha's best care." Naruto cleared the box with one jump and landed near Genma.

"Proctor."

"Hai?"

"If you see me go out of control… stop me. Call it and give it to him. Kill me, if you need to. "

"A… alright."

Naruto removed his weights again. This time he didn't throw them, he set them down gently. Naruto looked up at his opponent who was looking at him in a new light. He had felt the anger and hate that Naruto had thrown off instants ago. He knew that he was going up against someone who wouldn't hesitate to take a killing blow on him.

"Well, looks like your back from your little talk, eh?"

"Hai."

"Too bad you don't have nearly the worth your friend did in fighting. At least there was a point to fighting her."

"There is a point to this fight, Neji."

"May I ask what that is?"

"I am fighting to avenge Hinata. You are fighting for your life."

"Are both ninja ready?"

"Hai."

"…Hai." Neji was thrown off by the feeling he was getting. He hadn't bothered to deactivate his Byakugan from the last fight, and with his keen sense of foresight he only saw absolute confidence and…

His own death.

He wouldn't hesitate, though. Speed wasn't as much of an asset against a Hyuga as it would be against Lee. After all, Lee had never beaten Neji. Not once.

"Then… BEGIN!" Genma jumped out of the way. This was going to be a heated battle if he had ever seen one.

* * *

"Hiashi-sama!"

"Hai. How is she?"

"She has stabilized, though still unconscious. Her heart has been mostly repaired, the odd jutsu she had been using on herself has been released. She won't die as of this minute."

"What does that mean?"

"We have no experienced healers when it comes to chakra overload of the mind. It has never happened before in the history of the hospital. No matter what we try, her brain seems to be confused. Sometimes she will stop breathing for minutes, so we have her on a respirator. Her heart will stop for no reason and we have no idea why! If, one of these times, it goes out for longer then we can keep it going with our own chakra, she won't live."

"What can we do?"

"Pray. Hope."

"No… no, that is not all we can do!" Hiashi grabbed the medic by his jacket and slammed him against a wall. "There is a boy out there right now he is going to either go insane and kill everyone in the city or kill himself if that girl dies! There must be more that we can do!"

"Sir! Without… we… don't… try… Tsunade…" Hiashi dropped him.

"I want the best healers on call for Hinata at all times. I will personally pay them double for the work. In the mean time I will work on putting a proposal together to find her."

"Thank you sir." The medic scurried away. Hiashi sighed. He didn't mean to lose his temper like that. But he would rather lose his temper than another loved one...

* * *

Naruto had no reason to want to prolong the fight between him and Neji, but he wasn't being given much room for abilities. Neji was pressing the fight. He was nearly as fast as Lee when he didn't need to move long distances and his Byakugan made attacks from the rear nigh on impossible. Naruto created clones and went in, faster then most people were able to see, and was pushed back time and time again as Neji unleashed skills he hadn't used against Hinata. He dodged and blocked most clones. He only let small, glancing blows through his defense. When a major hit would come close he would use the kaiten and most of Naruto's clones would go flying.

Naruto knew that fighting him up close was out of the questions, and the only reasonably effective jutsu he had were kage bunshin and Hiraishin.

_I need to use it. But can I? If I don't suppress the flash I can use it… four more times in succession. I have only tried this once… I'll do it._

Naruto pulled a kunai out of his pouch.

"What? Weapons can't pierce the kaiten." Neji gave a short, humorless laugh.

"I don't need to pierce it, ass." Naruto released all of his kage bunshins to regain as much chakra as he could. "You know, I thought fighting you would be fun a while ago. But now, I really just want to get it over with." Naruto began to circle the Hyuga who hadn't moved from his place the entire match.

"You see, when you hurt Hinata I felt like I should kill you."

"As if you could…"

"SILENT!" Neji shut up and most of the audience did as well as Naruto released a fraction of his previous killing intent. "I would have killed you without a second thought, Neji, just for hurting her that bad. I swear to you, if she dies you will too, but I don't know about her fate right now, do I?"

Naruto stabbed a kunai into the ground and continued walking.

"So I decided to let you live for now, but fighting you is boring if I am not going to actually kill you. And I want to see Hinata-chan… now, so why should we prolong this. I know every move you have. The kaiten, the sixty four palms, and your traditional juken fighting. You know nothing about me."

"I know…"

"You don't understand what I mean when I say I don't want to hear your voice, do you? Very well, if you won't shut up I'll just have to shut you up myself." Naruto had completed his circle and was standing opposite of the kunai in the ground. He stabbed another of his strange kunai into the ground and held another in his hand.

"Neji, any last words. Oh, that's right. I told you to shut up."

Neji was getting angry. What right did this little bastard kid have to talk down to him? The stupid orphan was adopted into the main house while Neji never had a chance!

"You fool! You can't do anything to me! You're a failure, destined from birth. Just as she was. You think you're all important because you happened to get adopted into the main family! I NEVER HAD THAT CHANCE! And then you bastards took away my only family. She got what the entire main family deserves." Instead of making Naruto angry, Neji watched as he just smirked.

"Pathetic last words. I guess you get to be the first to witness my new move. You don't deserve the honor, though. Consider it a parting gift."

"Wha…"

Neji Hyuga never knew what hit him.

Every member in the audience was shocked and uncomprehending when a flash of light lit the arena to the point of blinding everyone. When they could finally see again the fighters had stopped moving. Naruto didn't look like he had moved, but he was now on his knee and breathing hard. Neji… was standing with a look of shock on his face.

_What… what happened… _Neji fell on his face, both legs broken at the knee._ Why do I hurt?_ Neji's arms were bleeding with long gashed down each. _Why can't I move?_ Neji coughed up blood as his vision became foggy. _Damn it… damn it…_

Naruto tried to stand, but sunk back to his knee. Genma was rubbing his eyes, being the closest to the attack. He noticed Neji on the ground with his eyes shut. Both legs were bent awkwardly and both arms had cuts running their lengths.

"Neji Hyuga is unable to continue, the match goes to Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto tried to stand again, but dropped two both knees instead of one. He was barely able to move. He had never done something of that caliber before, and he felt the toll on his body.

"Proctor…"

"Hai?"

"I want to go to the medical bay."

"Alright." Medic ninja had already picked up Neji and carried him away on a stretcher. Two more came and lifted him up by his arms and helped him towards where Hinata was staying. He didn't notice the crowd's cheering through the buzzing in his head. He couldn't see the jonins talking about his last attack. He didn't care. He just wanted to see Hinata.

* * *

"Naruto? Naruto, are you ok?"

Naruto had been helped to the hospital by two medics and led to where Hinata was in the ICU. Hiashi had been waiting outside the room pacing furiously. When Naruto had shown up he had feared he lost.

"Yeah, just tired. I won. Beat that bastard down. He won't be doing anything for a while." Naruto popped a food pill in his mouth to help recover a little.

"You didn't… kill him?"

"Did you want me to?"

"No, I just… I felt the killing intent."

"If the Hokage hadn't stopped me from attacking instantly, he would be dead. But he basically said that if I lose control of my… abilities… he would stop me. So I let him live. How is Hinata-chan?" Hiashi frowned and looked away from Naruto. Naruto knew that was a bad sign.

"Hiashi-sama, how is Hinata-chan?" Naruto was getting a little worried. In the adrenaline rush from the last battle he ad been able to overcome his worry, but it was come back as the adrenaline ran out.

"Not… not too well, I'm afraid. She's alive, but… but she needs special treatment that they don't have here."

"What do you mean, not have here. This is the only hospital in Konoha…"

"A certain person, a sennin, knows how to heal her. But we have no idea how long it will be until Hinata just gives up."

"I KNOW A SENNIN!"

"What?"

"Yeah, some weirdo called… Jiraiya?"

"He is the teammate to the one we need."

"I will ask him about it tonight."

"That is a good idea, if anyone knew where she was it would be him."

"… is she awake?"

"No. She hasn't awakened."

"A… alight. I am going to see her."

* * *

Shino Aburame was mad. When his two best, arguably only, friends get hurt, it doesn't make him happy. And when he isn't happy, the hive inside of him isn't happy either.

"Ready, Begin!"

Shino was determined to get his two fights out of the way so he could join his friends in the hospital until the last round was over. He stood opposite of Choji, who looked ready to fight, but also afraid.

"Choji, I do not wish to harm a fellow comrade, but I must finish this." Choji just nodded. He had never heard the sound coming from Shino. Shino looked like his perfectly normal, emotionless self, but their was an incredibly loud buzzing coming from him at the same time. Sounded like someone had stepped into a wasps nest. It wasn't a good sound.

"Very well, I will try my hardest still." Choji immediately began to expand into a human boulder. Before he had time to withdraw his head into his ninja garb he felt something on top of his head.

_What the hell… oh… shit…_ Choji had already retreated into his body so no one understood why he was screaming and wobbling around. He shrunk down after a few seconds and a rather large bug, the size of half a human hand, flew to Shino. Shino tossed a vial to Genma.

"This is an antidote to the poison. It only paralyses for an hour otherwise, so do not worry."

"Battle, Shino Aburame."

Up in the cheering stands someone was joking about Kurenai's students making a sweep of the competition. Kurenai, on the other hand, understood exactly what was going on. How her studets might be strong, but now they were just fighting as a way to get rid of the pain of Hinata's injury.

* * *

"Hinata-chan. I… here…"

_Naruto… Naruto-kun…_

"Hinata-chan, don't… we've got… ok…"

_Naruto-kun… don't leave me…_

"Naruto, she… hear… you say."

"I… care… needs someone… talk to."

_Naruto-kun, I love you. Don't leave me… I'm frightened._

"Hinat-ch… I… wish… saved you… love you… much…"

_What? Love me? He loves me?_

"Don't… don't give up on me, Hinata-chan."

_I won't. Not now._

Naruto felt the hand he was holding squeeze his hand a little. A tear slid down his face as a small smile spread.

* * *

Shikamaru once again demonstrated to the city why he is considered a genius. When he fought Kankuro, it was like he was the puppeteer's puppeteer. Kankuro fell into his every trap. He demonstrated his kage mane's ability to capture more then one person, or puppet, in it. Then he amazed everyone by using his kage mane to control Kankuro's fingers to control the puppet to capture his own master. It seemed as if Shikamaru had used the entire time fighting as a mere way to learn how Kankuro controlled his puppet with the chakra strings. Kankuro was proclaimed unable to battle after his own puppet unleashed a low level poison on him.

The battle, surprisingly, took a long time. They had fought for just under an hour. Compared to Naruto's and Neji's fight, which was just under ten minutes, the fight had lasted forever. Shikamaru stayed in the field for Shino, and, not so surprisingly, he forfeited as soon as Shino entered the area. Shikamaru knew what Shino could do, and capturing millions of insects in the kage mane isn't exactly possible. And he had already used most of his chakra. Shino thanked him, because it would mean he would be with Naruto in the final round. Shikamaru just smirked as he made his way back to the seats. He didn't have it in him to explain that the only reason he gave up was because he knew he would lose to either Shino or the last round. Better to save his own skin.

"The next round is between Gaara of the desert and Sasuke Uchiha, will the competitors please come to the stadium."

* * *

Naruto stood with Hiashi and Shino in the hallway outside of Hinata's room. Shino had barely calmed his insects after hearing of her status.

"Naruto, we need to get back to the stadium."

"Why?"

"Because the last match is probably underway and the final round will be soon. I have burned almost no chakra in my match, but you still look drained."

"Yeah, I don't know if I will even be able to move in a fight. Broke a few ribs fighting Lee and nearly exhausted all my chakra fighting Neji."

"Let's go."

"Shino… I don't feel like fighting right now…" Naruto almost turned back towards Hinata when he felt his arm get grabbed and he was whipped around to face Shino. His insect wielding friend looked pissed.

"Get off your sorry ass, Naruto, and do what Hinata would want you to do. I don't care if you are as tired as hell, Hinata would never let you give up."

Naruto and Hiashi stared at Shino. Shino stared back. They might have lost one friend that day, but they certainly weren't going to dishonor her effort. Naruto stood up.

"You're right, Shino. As always. Let's go and kick some ass."

"Hai."

* * *

Naruto and Shino walked into the stadium for a second time. This time it was to a roar of cheering. When they arrived at the viewing area they knew what as going on. Sasuke Uchiha was attacking Gaara. The two people that Naruto thought had a chance of beating him were facing each other. One was a demon container, like Naruto, and the other was an orphan, also like Naruto.

Naruto watched in fascination at Sasuke's speed, matching Lee's, and Gaara's sand. It was a strange dance, Gaara moving his hands to control his sand better and Sasuke showing speed rivaling Naruto's. During the dance, Sasuke Uchiha was hit many times while Gaara remained completely fine. His shield of sand was making it incredibly hard for the Uchiha to get a move off on him. Naruto also noticed small traces of demonic chakra mixed with Gaara's sand. It was exactly like before, but this time the presence was getting more powerful.

The battle came to a climax when Gaara completely encircled himself with sand and showed his ultimate defense.

"Shino, before we fight Gaara you need to know something."

"What?"

"He is like me in… that way."

"That way?"

"You know. The bridge."

"He is a container?"

"Yes. Be careful."

"Hai."

Sasuke Uchiha was now racing down the side of the stadium with electricity covering his arm.

"Are you so sure the Uchiha will lose?"

"The attack he has is strong, but Gaara…"

The Uchiha pierced the shell.

"… he hasn't shown a tenth of his actual power."

Maniacal laughter filled the stadium as Sasuke attempted to remove his arm from the crushing sand. What he pulled out was… not Gaara's arm.

"That… that is a demon."

"Are you sure, Naruto? If that is true, these people are in danger."

"No, watch."

The arm retreated into the shell again. As it did, feathers gently fell from the sky.

"GENJUTSU!" Naruto immediately tried to do the release technique Kurenai had tried to teach him. It wasn't working. Suddenly, he felt a change. The genjutsu broke. Shino's hand was on his arm.

"Thanks Shino."

In the next second, three very important things happened. The first important thing to happen was an explosion in the kage's box followed by the quick escape of six figures, one being the Hokage. The second important thing that happened was another explosion from the walls of the city caused by enormous snakes and invading ninja. The third, and most important thing to Naruto, was that the shell of Gaara was collapsing, but instead of just falling to the ground it was gathering on his body and taking the shape of something much less, or more, then human.

Hell broke loose.

"Shino, plans have changed! Help take out some of these ninja! I'm getting Gaara."

"Alright… good luck."

* * *

War had come to Konoha. Chaos had taken its scythe and cursed the village. People were running around without order or understanding to be cut down by the assaulting forces of sound and sand. In the opening attack more then two hundred civilians had been mercilessly slaughtered. But the forces of Konoha were already in motion by the second minute. Carefully made plans went into action as ninja of every rank helped civilians to underground shelters. In one part of town Iruka was leading his class towards the tunnels of Konoha. He was attacked more then once and had the kunai in his back to prove it, but his students learned that day that their teacher was more then he let on. The mild mannered classroom teacher had killed three ninja that had thrown kunai at his class without a second's thought or any remorse. The woman who was trying her hardest to protect his class with him thought it was very… attractive, the way he snapped necks at least.

Jonin around the city joined together in old teams to turn back the invaders. A giant crushed the enemy while his friends broke necks and ruined minds. Hiashi Hyuga protected the entire hospital staff by his own self against at least twenty sand ninja trying to get their comrade who had been poisoned in the exam. The invasion of Konoha stalled and began to be pushed back within five minutes of the battle's beginning.

The arena that had been used minutes before as an exam area became a war zone. Gai, Kurenai, and Kakashi all began ripping the ninja forces to shreds, protecting the unconscious ninja and civilians. Shino Aburame showed his skill in controlling his insect hoards when he awakened some of the upper level ninja that had missed the genjutsu by absorbing enough chakra to disrupt the genjutsu, but not enough to put them out of commission.

On the opposite side of town a single man stood against the summons of the enemy with a smirk on his face. Within seconds he no longer stood alone, but with three massive frogs armed with spears, katana, and clubs. Each wielded two of their preferred weapon, each knew what to do. Summon battles cause great destruction to the area around them, but the frogs were very good at what they did. They were known in the summon realm as the great hermit's assassination squad. The lord of the frog summons trained them himself, they are only below Gamabunta in size and skill. They knew how to fight snakes.

On one building near the arena a barrier had been erected. Inside it the two most powerful ninja in the village fought for control of the city. The snake and the monkey.

Exactly five minutes into the battle everything stopped. The invading ninjas stopped invading, the defenders stopped defending, the Hokage and Orochimaru stopped battling and Jiraiya and his frogs turned their heads. Not one person in the city didn't look toward the arena, or what was left of it. Not one person did not stare at the massive form that stood in absolute dominance of the area. Not one person could _not _see the massive tanuki who laughed insanely in freedom. But only a few people saw who stood between it and the unconscious people in the stands of the arena. Only a few saw Naruto Uzumaki in the most dangerous position anyone could be in, between a demon and its prey. Only a few saw Shukaku stare down at the small blond ninja. But everyone in the city felt Naruto lose it. Everyone in the city felt as well as saw the red chakra that came from the arena in a pillar of light. And then everyone feared for their lives.

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki had tried his hardest to crack the shell of Gaara. His friends and teachers had finished off most of the ninja in the arena already and were evacuating the people left unconscious while Naruto battled the half human, half monster. He was still tired from his first two battles. He felt his chakra getting dangerously low as the fight went on. He had tried everything from massive amounts of clones in taijutsu to explosives. The most he could do was deform it.

"_**HEHEHE, NARUTO UZUMAKI… DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW? I WILL KILL YOU AND MOTHER WILL LOVE YOUR BLOOD! YOU CAN'T KILL ME!"**_

"Kuso…"

"_**I WILL KILL YOU NOW, AND THEN FINISH OFF THE CITY!"**_ Sand crept down the last of his legs. It already completely covered the upper half of his body.

"I… I won't let you!"

"_**YOU HAVE NO CHOICE! YOU CAN'T DEFEAT SHUKAKU!"**_ The last part of his leg was covered and suddenly a massive amount of wind came from nowhere. When Naruto was able to open his eyes, he saw the complete form of Gaara's demon. Gaara was slumped on top of the demon's head, proving that the demon was fully in control.

"_**I'm FREE! Now, where is that… oh, there you are! Hello, little brat. I want to tell you something before you die. Gaara doesn't know this, but I fancy women's blood over men's. I think after I take yours I will take your friend's. You know, the one who got hurt in the last match. Take that thought to you grave, pathetic human. You can't protect the ones you love if you can't protect yourself."**_

"You… you… BASTARD!"

_Kyuubi!_

_**Hai.**_

_How much power can I take without dieing?_

_**You? About one tail. But give control to me for a bit and you can have three.**_

_Give control to you?_

_**Hai. **_

_Three tails would beat this one, right?_

_**Right.**_

_Promise not to injure or kill any of Konoha's ninjas?_

… _**Hai. But I will kill any invaders.**_

_Fine. Deal._

Shukaku was about to crush Naruto with his foot when he felt something he had not felt in decades.

"_**KYUUBI?"**_

His foot was turned to glass as a pillar of red chakra came flowing out of Naruto. It lit up the sky for almost a full minute. Shukaku fell backwards without a leg to support him, crushing a city block and the rest of the arena's walls. On the ground where Naruto had once been stood was what appeared to be a red cloud roughly shaped like an animal. It gradually became more and more solid until it was barely able to be seen through and was shaped like a fox.

"_**It has been a long time, Shukaku."**_

"_**You were sealed?"**_

"_**Hai. But now, I am here to stop you."**_

"_**Stop me? Why?"**_

"_**This village is… precious to my container and his emotions are mine. And you threatened his woman."**_

"_**Emotions? You were sealed perfectly, it seems. I control my containers emotions, not the other way."**_

"_**Then it seems a correction is needed."**_

"_**Wha… what?"**_

"_**Shukaku, give up or I will be forced to stop you in a painful way."**_

"_**NEVER! I will not agree to be completely sealed into this pathetic human!"**_

"_**Then you will be forced to!"**_

A red claw extending from the red shroud of chakra and slashed through the sand monster's glass leg, shattering it.

"_**Air bullets!"**_ Shukaku spat three enormous balls of compressed air towards Naruto. Naruto just jumped right into the first, dispersing it with a swipe of a tail, the next two met the same fate. He landed on the demon's stomach, where tendrils of sand reached up to grab him. The shroud turned every grain of sand into glass and he walked calmly towards the head of the demon. The three tails Kyuubi had out were extended and dragged through the demon's stomach, carving large gashes in the sand that refused to close. Shukaku roared in pain and anger, but even when he swung his arm to knock Naruto off he only succeeded in cutting his own arm off on the super hot kitsune chakra.

When he arrived at the sand demon's neck he cut it off. This caused the rest of the body to disintegrate. Shukaku fired one last air bullet point blank at Naruto, but watched in horror as he walked through it. This was no human anymore, it was the actual lord of demons, Shukaku's former boss, the Kyuubi no kitsune.

"_**Stop… stop! I DON'T WANT TO BE SEALED AGAIN! THE TEAPOT WAS ENOUGH! I WANT FREEDOM!"**_

"_**Shukaku, you know what I said all those years ago. The age of demons is over. It is the time for humanity to thrive."**_

"_**I… I don't believe you."**_

"_**Accept it and your container might allow you temporary freedom like mine has."**_

"_**I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK."**_

"_**STOP ACTING LIKE A CHILD, ONE TAIL! OBEY YOUR LORD OR FACE COMPLETE DESTUCTION!"**_

"_**I… fine…"**_

"_**Good."**_ Shukaku's head disintegrated, leaving Gaara unconscious on the cities streets. The shroud around Naruto disappeared almost entirely, leaving only one tail and a faint red glow. Gaara began to wake up.

"I… I failed… no… no, I WANT TO BE ALIVE!"

"_**Gaara."**_

"WHAT?"

"_**Live."**_ Chakra had been building in Naruto's hand as he walked to the one tailed container. He ripped the cloth from Gaara's shoulder, showing a weak seal. Naruto shoved his fingers into the skin around the seal, causing Gaara to scream and pass out in agony. Before his eyes the seal went from simple to utterly complex. Much more complex then even Naruto's was. Naruto gave a small smile. Almost instantly afterwards he was surrounded by sound and sand ninja. One sand ninja he recognized.

"_**You, girl."**_ Temari of the desert took a step backwards.

**"Take your brother.** **When he awakens** **he will no longer have trouble with** **the demon inside of him."**

"Who… who are you?"

"_**Naruto Uzumaki. Take him."**_ Temari cautiously stepped foreword and grabbed her brother before leaping away. A few sand ninja followed, leaving the sound alone.

"_**Well, well. That leaves twenty of you and one of me. I guess its play time, eh?"**_ The shroud of chakra once again darkened and grew two tails.

"Careful men, he's fas…" The man fell with blood spurting from the place his head had been. Suddenly every ninja in the circle around Naruto either fell in two or ended up missing arms, legs, or heads. Blood coated the area and covered Naruto's face, giving what could be seen through the cloak of the kitsune an even more demonic appearance. And then he was gone.

The streets of Konoha were still filled with the stunned ninja who had just seen a demon slaughtered. Some had resumed fighting, but most just stared at the destruction left by the sand demon. The sound who stood in awe soon fell in death. A red blur was reported in the follow-up of the battle that would pass down a street at speeds only seen from a few ninja and every enemy ninja in its way fell in parts or just ended up missing parts. It wasn't long before a retreat was called and the sound forces left the city of Konoha in peace and pieces.

But war has never been determined entirely by one battle. The recovery of Konoha would be long and tiring. And lives had been lost. But most importantly, there was the issue about a certain demon that was bothering everyone. The only ninja to have actually seen the battle of the one tail wouldn't speak of it. The only three ninja who had been left to actually see what had happened were Shino Aburame and two jonin sensei.

Clearly biased accounts.

One thing was certain after the battle was over. Naruto Uzumaki's life would never be the same.

* * *

AN: Time for the hatred to begin. And people though Hinata losing her eyes was bad. How about Hinata with brain damage? No, it isn't permenant. But now Naruto has a reason to find Tsunade and most of the city has a reason to not want him in town. Don't worry, this story isn't going to turn into a "villiage-hates-Naruto-kicks-him-out" fan fic. But changes are going to take place.


	16. Searching for Love

AN: I must say, welcome to the fifteenth official chapter. AND WE AREN'T DONE YET! NOT EVEN CLOSE! Hell yeah. Oh, there were some great questions in the reviews, but none that really stuck out as a must print in my story. Thanks for the suggestions, I did kind of feel there was something lacking to the fights compared to the ones I did for the prelims and Naruto v. Lee and Hinata v. Neji. But, I will have a chance to redeem my self coming up soon.

* * *

Chapter 15: Searching for Love

* * *

The city of Konoha. One day ago it was a thriving ninja village, the largest and most prominent in the land of fire. People could have been seen talking and laughing and playing in the streets. Shops fed and provided for customers, customers walked down the rows of buildings. A happy town if there ever was one.

Today Konoha woke in silence. Only the sounds of clean up echoed through the near empty streets. Buildings that had been destroyed were being rebuilt. The damaged shops and merchandise were being replaced. The dead… were buried. No one had time for a funeral, the bodies of the ninja protectors and the dead civilians were placed in caskets and buried, services to be held at later dates. The only body kept for proper burial and service was the Third, the former leader and late Hokage of the village hidden in the leaves. His funeral would be held the day to come. The sun rose red this day.

The city was in mourning, but was working as well. Time was not kind enough to courteously stop for the city so they would have time to mourn their loved ones and the fallen brave protectors. Ninjas and villagers worked side by side to clean up the rubble of the city. Even the Hyuga clan, their own home mostly unaffected, came out to help in a display of civility normally unseen by those on the outside of the clan. The city needed to be strong to prevent follow-up attacks. It was as simple as that.

Four Hyuga, though, were not working. Three were in hospital rooms and one was at an emergency meeting of the counsel of village elders. None of them wanted to be where they were. Hiashi hated meetings.

"The fact of the matter is that the demon showed up…"

"But was he in control?"

"Like it matters…"

"Elder, you say the fact that the demon's energy came out as if it was a bad thing. Could _you_ have defeated the sand demon? Could anyone in this city have defeated it?"

"What, don't be foolish…"

"I AM NOT THE FOOLISH ONE HERE! YOU, elder, are saying that we execute or banish the one ninja who saved the city from a demon."

"He's dangerous…"

"I'M DANGEROUS! Should I be banished?"

"Hiashi-sama, calm down or leave."

"Hai, chief elder."

"And you, Danzo, don't come here spouting nonsense about the demon getting lose. It is people like you that made the villagers call him a demon in the first place."

"Because he is…"

"He is a boy and a ninja, and you WILL respect our village's ninja. We didn't bother to put a stop on you after the Fourth's death, and now the villagers shake when he walks down the street. They should be bowing before him and thanking him for saving their lives twice over, now."

"The representative from the Nara clan is out of order. The floor is now mine, be silent."

"Honorable chief elder."

"Hai."

"I propose we vote on what to do with the demon child…"

"He will be addressed as Naruto Uzumaki or you will be silenced. And no, there will be no vote."

"What?"

"No, no votes or judgments will be brought foreword again until we have a new Hokage. The Third did not tell us who he had chosen for a successor and we must now decide."

"I wish to nominate Jiraiya. He was here in the battle and should still be around."

"Oh, he's around all right. Looking into bath houses, probably."

"Never the less, a stronger ninja would be hard to come by."

"True, but I would suggest Tsunade."

"Hiashi-sama, you are biased by your daughter's current condition."

"Hai, but who here will deny her strength or the fact that she is not an author of filth? I doubt Jiraiya would accept anyway."

"Indeed, Tsunade would be a good choice, but can she be found?"

"Jiraiya would know."

"Very well, we will speak with Jiraiya and ask him to be Hokage, if he refuses he will be sent on a mission to find the lady, Tsunade."

"Elder, I have one more recommendation."

"Speak, Hiashi."

"Send Naruto with him."

"What?"

"Send Naruto on the mission with Jiraiya. If you are worried about Naruto losing control, Jiraiya is the only ninja who would be able to help. I am personally worried about his mental status because of my daughter's condition and the looks he's been getting from everyone since yesterday and this will keep his mind off of those things. Also, Naruto has told me he knows the sennin, so I doubt Jiraiya will refuse the addition."

"He will be given the option then."

"What, no vote?"

"No, this counsel is not emotionally stable. We shall meet again this evening, as there is much to discuss about the city in general. Be here at seven. Come ready to work, not fret about like civilians. We are ninja, so act like it."

"Hai."

* * *

The death toll in Konoha was low for a surprise invasion, but too high for anyone's taste. Seven chunin, three jonin and two ANBU had been killed in combat. Their numbers would be added to by the ten chunin, four jonin, and three ANBU crushed in the fight between the summons of the toad sage and the giant snakes. Five genin and one chunin were killed when the sand demon crushed most of a city block. The total death toll to the ninjas of Konoha came to five genin, seventeen chunin, seven jonin and five ANBU. A small number, to be sure, but the toll on the civilian populace was much worse.

The area around the arena had been one of the last to be evacuated, and the entire city block crushed by the sand demon had only been half evacuated by the time the demon fell. The death toll, including that, came to around seven hundred civilians, most killed by either the demon or crushed by rubble from the summons battle.

Aside from the deaths, there were hundreds of ninja injured from twisted ankle to katana in a lung. The hospital was completely filled with wounded ninja and civilians. Doctors were being forced into taking two shifts, then three and four. The lower area of the Hokage tower had been turned into a secondary hospital due to over crowding in the hospital. In both places med-ninjas were running through the halls accompanied by regular civilians with first aid knowledge helping at every chance they could. Doctors would be popping soldier pills hourly to keep up. Some ended up just as in need of care as they people they treated for doing that.

One room in the hospital was completely silent except the insistent beep of a heart monitor, telling the only conscious person in the room that the girl laying in the bed wasn't dead.

Naruto sat completely drained from the past days battle. He had gotten some pretty nasty looks from nurses that would come in every so often.

_They must have heard about the demon._

_**Yeah, that was great. Not every day I get to come out to play.**_

_Kyuubi… it wasn't great. It was necessary. But now the entire village won't just hate me, they'll fear me as well._

_**Fear is good, I like fear. Hate... has its uses.**_

_I would rather get respect for something else than because I could snap and kill anyone instantly. That kind of respect is the kind I could live without._

_**Oh well, you win some, you lose some. But with me, you don't lose.**_

_I don't lose? What the hell are you talking about... I'm losing HER!_

Naruto looked over at the unconscious Hinata. She had done things that would make Naruto overjoyed. She would move her arm, lift a leg, sit up. But each time she did it turned out that she was just as unconscious and it was just her brain trying to work itself out. They said that they were lucky she wasn't having violent seizures. Instead, her mind was going through common actions of what it should do while laying down like she was. Naruto cursed every time it was a false alarm. It felt like his heart was ripped in two over and over again.

_**That… wasn't your fault…**_

_I know that, damn it! That doesn't make me feel any better! If I lose her I…_

_**Then don't lose her. Go out and find that pervert that taught you to summon and find that lady who can heal her.**_

_I want to… but I don't want to leave her alone._

_**Let's see, leave and save her life or stay and watch her…**_

_Don't you dare say that._

_**Fine, but that doesn't make it any less true. I... am sorry... for...**_

_No, its ok. It wasn't your fault either._

Naruto heard the door slowly open and didn't turn. He knew who it was. He knew without turning. The only person that could stand in the room with him and not speak at all.

"Shino."

"Naruto."

Shino walked in and pulled a chair up next to Naruto. They were both sitting a little away from the bed and as out of the way as they could be. The way had to be kept clear, as Naruto found out when he was nearly thrown out after a nurse came in to start Hinata's heart the first time he had been here to watch it stop.

The first time…

Since then it had stopped three times, twice in a row once but then five hours before the next. It was the most frightening thing Naruto had ever heard, the tone that the heart monitor made. He had watched people get stabbed through the chest. He had decapitated people himself. But the most frightening thing was watching someone die in front of you as you sit and do nothing. Sit and can't do anything…

"How is she?"

"Same."

"…what will you do?"

"What do you mean, Shino?" Naruto didn't break eye contact with Hinata's form as he spoke.

"Are you going to do anything for her?"

"Like what? What can I do? I'm no brain surgeon…"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean Shino, because right now my patience is wearing thin!" Naruto looked towards his friend before putting his head in his hands.

"Sorry, Shino. I'm… I didn't get any sleep."

"Naruto… it's ok. Everyone is under a lot of stress. But you must do something."

"What?"

"Help me."

"Why, what's wrong?"

"Naruto, the city is in ruins. What isn't wrong?"

"But… but the looks they give me… they know now, Shino. I let it go. I released it for a minute and they'll fear me for life."

"Prove them wrong, like always. Help me rebuild the city, you are the only one with full chakra stores, that is uninjured, and is doing nothing to help. Hinata would not like that…"

"Hinata wouldn't want to be just left alone, either."

"Then I will stay with her." Naruto turned around, seeing Hiashi and Hanabi at the door.

"Hiashi-sama…"

"I will stay here and watch over her, if any change happens, I will tell you."

"I will stay with her as well." Hanabi was staring at her sister's near lifeless form.

"Naruto, you will most likely be hearing from Jiraiya about a mission, you will accept and go on it. Until then, help the city if you truly want to be Hokage. Isn't that your dream?"

"Ye… yeah. It is my dream…"

"Then come, Naruto." Shino stood and walked out the door with a nod to the two Hyuga. Naruto followed and received a pat on his shoulder from Hiashi. This made Naruto smile a little.

_At least a few people still believe in me.

* * *

_

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!"

Within hours the city had made serious progress. Naruto had used all of the chakra he could to make almost two thousand clones. They went around town helping anyone and everyone, even those who spat at the clones. Some received thanks for cleaning a street of rubble. Some received fearful stares throughout the entire process, even after a hundred clones had re-roofed a home in less then an hour with smiles on their faces. Naruto still helped. He, personally, went with Shino to help rebuild the section of town he had accidentally aided in destroying. Naruto knew the deaths were not on his hands, but the demon's. And that demon would likely never see another day in the real world with Gaara in complete control.

The three sand siblings had left early in the morning after meeting with the counsel about the deception of Orochimaru and how Suna would help rebuild in anyway they could. Gaara had personally showed up at Hinata's room to say a one word thank you before leaving. Naruto hoped to see him again, he knew that he could be a good friend. A weird friend, but then again Naruto was the epitome of weird. It was almost four when Shino and Naruto took a break.

Naruto, with the help of one thousand clones and Shino, had cleaned the rubble from that section of town and rebuilt a third of it within the day. He was exhausted, though, and Shino took him back to the garden he had shown him before his first date with Hinata. The battle had left it untouched, luckily, but the butterflies had left for a more moderate climate, as Konoha was entering the warmer time of the year. The flowers were still beautiful and Naruto couldn't help but think of Hinata.

"Thanks for the wake up call, Shino."

"Welcome."

"So, what happened between yesterday when I… between then and now."

"Nothing important. Clean up, collection and burial of the dead."

"Anyone we know?"

"A few genins from the chunin exam that got out on the first round were crushed by the one tail demon."

"Oh…"

"Naruto."

"Hai?"

"What happened with the demon and you? I heard it threaten Hinata and then it felt like your presence exploded."

"I let the Kyuubi have temporary control of my body to get enough power to defeat him."

"…"

"Yeah, it is dangerous. But I have a pretty good handle on controlling him. Basically as long as he gets to kill something he'll listen to me. So I sent him on the demon and the invaders."

"… what was it like?"

"Like a dream. Like I was watching myself doing things and saying things. I remember it perfectly now, but then… it felt foggy."

"What if he had gone out of control?"

"He wouldn't have survived."

"How?"

"One of the first times we talked for a long time in my mind he mentioned something..."

_**So, Naruto… how do you like the décor? A little wet to my tastes, but this is what your mind chooses.**_

_I don't care, let's get this out of the way. My sensei told me to never trust you, Hiashi-sama said you took an oath to help me. I believe them both. I can't trust you completely._

_**Wise.**_

_But you said you could give me power. How do you intend to do that?_

_**I just lend you some chakra. Or, you can let me take control of your body and I give you a little more chakra.**_

_Why would I let you take control of my body?_

_**I can handle much more of my own chakra then you can.**_

_What do you mean?_

_**Right now if I gave you more then one tail of my chakra you would die without a question. As you age you will be able to handle more, the seal was designed like that, but taking more now would kill you. If I was in control of your body I would be able to handle about twice the chakra before you would die. Basically, I can make you even stronger.**_

_On the bridge, how much was that?_

_**Less then a tail, about half of one.**_

_Wow, and you have nine?_

_**Wow, the kid can count.**_

_Don't insult me._

_**Fine, so what is you decision.**_

_I… I will take your power when I ask, and not any other time. It is pretty… easy to notice when I use it._

_**Damn right, I wasn't a subtle demon.**_

_I would only allow you in control if you would swear on your demon oath to never hurt my friends or family or village again._

_**I… can not vow that. But I will vow that I will never hurt your allies.**_

_That's what I said._

_**No, there are enemies in your village just as there are friends and family who might change their stance.**_

_I disagree, but that deal suits me fine._

_**Seal it in blood.**_

"So, basically, if he hurts anyone of my allies, he dies. It's the way demon vows work."

"That's very interesting."

Naruto and Shino spun around with swarms of insects already swarming towards the invader.

"Whoa! Hold it right there!" Naruto recognized the voice immediately.

"Shino, stop."

Shino halted his bugs, but kept them in the air around the man who had come to his sanctuary.

"Naruto, good to see you."

"Ero-sennin, we aren't women so why peek on us?"

The white haired man sighed. The kid was about as courteous as an angry mob of women who heard him giggle outside the hot spring… good times, good times…

"I came to find you, and I just managed to hear the neat story on my way. I already knew about the Kyuubi anyway, just a little surprised that you converse with it at will."

"Well, that's great. I surprised a pervert."

"Actually, I came to ask you to…"

"Go on a mission? Fine. I'm packed."

"Hiashi told you?"

"Yeah, I think it was his idea. I have no clue what we're doing, though."

"Fine, let's go. Aburame." Jiraiya nodded to Shino, who nodded back and retreated his bugs. It was strange, but Shino had stopped his bugs less on the words of the man, and more on the feeling that if they did attack, Shino would have lost a large amount of bugs.

"You are not allowed to come back here again."

"Fine, fine. I prefer my beauty in the form of women, anyway."

* * *

Naruto and Jiraiya left the gates of Konoha in minutes. The guards seemed glad to see them go, or at least glad to see Naruto leave.

"Hey, Ero-sennin."

"Brat, you call me that again and you are getting a serious pounding."

"Fine, ero-gama-sennin, what are we doing?"

Jiraiya's eye twitched a little.

"Brat, if you call me that in public you will find yourself in a thousand years of pain."

"Whatever."

"We are searching for a woman."

"Figures."

"Not just any woman, Naruto. This is Lady Tsunade, the slug sennin and…"

"She can heal Hinata-chan! This is great!"

"Heal… who?"

"Hinata-chan, you know… Hinata Hyuga."

"Hiashi's daughter? The blind one?"

"Yeah, but she isn't blind."

"Last I heard she was still eyeless, did they find the originals somewhere?"

"No, I invented a jutsu to give her sight."

"You… you did what?"

"I invented a jutsu. Really, though, if she never had the jutsu she wouldn't be… like she is now."

"You invented a jutsu… so like him…"

"What are you talking about old man?"

"Nothing… what is this jutsu?"

"A variation off of my other jutsu I invented. It allows for chakra she flows through her forehead protector, which she wears over her face, to go back into her mind and the information it gathered is put into her head. It is kind of like my first jutsu where it just transfers thoughts, sounds, sight and stuff to other people. I got a lot of money for that one. No one except me and Hinata know Hinata's one, though… hey, are you ok?"

Jiraiya had stopped walking and was just looking at Naruto. It wasn't with a dropped jaw or with eyes bulging in their sockets. He was just looking at him. In Jiraiya's mind he was seeing the Fourth outlined over Naruto and it was making his head hurt.

_It's just like back then… he would want me to teach him that, wouldn't he?_

"Naruto, come over here. I'm going to give you a jutsu to learn while we search."

* * *

Naruto panted over a balloon. The balloon didn't move. He breathed harder, it still didn't move. Ten seconds. Naruto's breath caught in his throat.

BOOM!

Naruto was sent into a tree.

"KUSO!"

Naruto had been on the road with Jiraiya for slightly under three weeks. The jutsu, the Rasengan, was proving trouble for Naruto. Never known to have excellent chakra control, Naruto was having slightly more trouble with it then the Hiraishin, but he knew that Rasengan took next to no chakra compared to that. He vowed to accomplish it before he went back to Hinata.

He picked up another balloon.

Nine seconds.

BOOM!

"KUSO! BAKA BALLOON! If you didn't pop a second ago you would be so DEAD!"

So far, Tsunade had been able to evade them, but Jiraiya was sure she was around this area. So Naruto trained, wishing he would be allowed to aid in the search.

"Naruto! Quit yelling at the balloons and come with me, we have a lead. She went up to… the… castle… well, there used to be a castle."

It looked like his chance would come sooner then he had hoped.

* * *

"Snake."

"Yeah."

Naruto and Jiriya stood in the ruins of the castle. Naruto could smell it, smell it like it was the only thing he knew. A snake had been here, a summon by the size of it. Naruto's thoughts went back to the man in the forest of death.

"Who is this bastard who uses snakes? I fought one off in the forest of death."

"That was you? I just heard a few genin ran into him and barely made it out alive."

"Humph, that's an exaggeration. I scared him away."

"You… you scared Orochimaru away. HAHAHA, that's great! I'll never let him live it down! Hell, I don't think I'll let him live."

"Orochimaru, eh? What a bastard."

"You have no idea, he killed the Third."

"He… he was the one…"

"Yep, you ran into a kage killer in the forest of death. I would say "barely made it out alive" fits better than you think."

"Ye… yeah…"

"Come on, lets find a place to eat."

"What about Tsunade?"

"She'll be around. She met Orochimaru."

"SHE'S WITH THAT BASTARD?"

"No, she's neutral right now. We want her on our side."

"She so great?"

"Hell yeah, she has breasts the size of… I mean, she is an excellent ninja and expert medic."

"But she's your old teammate? So isn't she… like… old?"

"Don't call her that. She looks young for her age."

"Whatever… you just have a crush on her."

"Naruto, men my age don't have crushes."

"You don't even have girlfriends."

"Naruto, how would you like to go eat at a bar?"

"But they won't let me in!"

"THEN SHUT UP!"

* * *

Naruto and Jiraiya ran into exactly the person they wanted to see during dinner.

"Tsunade-hime!"

"Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya ran over to a woman who looked young enough to be his daughter and a woman equally young sitting at a table. The blond one with breasts the size of… nope, he wasn't going to think of that, was consuming a copious amount of sake. The other lady had a pet pig… but was very courteous and kind to Naruto. She even gave him some of her dango.

"So, you're Tsunade."

"Who's the brat?" Naruto instantly didn't like her.

"Brat? Oh, that's Naruto. Naruto _Uzumaki_."

"I see…"

"Alright, we found her. Let's go."

"Naruto, it isn't that easy."

"What's the brat talking about, Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya sighed. It wasn't good to ask Tsunade to do anything when she was wasted. She was the epitome of the 'angry drunk'.

"Tsunade, you ran into Orochimaru."

"Hai… some reunion."

"He tell you about sensei?"

"Hai… too bad." Tsunade threw back another cup of sake. Naruto was getting ticked.

"Too… bad? He kills the Hokage and all you can say is "too bad"? What's your problem?"

"I ain't got a problem, brat!" She was slurring her words as she leaned in towards Naruto's face. He almost choked on the sake on her breath.

"Tsunade, with sensei gone Konoha needs… they need a leader. They want you to be Hokage."

There was a stunned silence from everyone at the table. Naruto couldn't think. This drunken woman was going to be Hokage? She didn't look like she could see straight. Either way, she was coming back.

"No deal."

"NANI?"

"Lady Tsunade?"

"No deal. What? You want me to be like the Fourth or the Third? Die a gruesome death to save a stupid town? Leave me alone."

Naruto couldn't believe it. She had just insulted the two men he respected above all other's besides Hiashi! She had turned down a position Naruto would… and had killed for! She wasn't coming back... then who would save Hinata?"

"Who do you think you are, baa-chan? You think you can just insult the Hokage's and everything they stood for in front of me? You think I am going to let you not come back with us? I don't care who the hell you are, hag, I am going back to Konoha with you whether you conscious or not!"

"Let's take this outside, brat." Sparks seemed to fly between the two people. Jiraiya sighed and Shizune couldn't breathe through the killing intent.

* * *

Naruto stood down the street from Tsunade. He was angry. How dare she insult the old man and the Fourth? How dare she reject the chance to become Hokage? How dare she not come back to heal Hinata?"

"Baa-chan, you baka. I don't give a damn whether or not you become Hokage. You are going to come back and heal Hinata or you are going to be dragged back."

"Why should I care about your little friend, huh? Think I care? Well I don't! I don't care… I don't care about anything anymore."

"Obviously, if you cared in the least you would accept the job as Hokage. You probably don't know what it feels like to want to do anything to protect those precious to you. You probably never had anyone like that…"

"Naruto." Jiraiya was trying to caution Naruto, but one look towards the drunk Tsunade showed he was too late.

"You think I am just going to let you get away when Hinata can only be healed by you! I'd rather die trying to get you back then let you go and fail Hinata!"

"… brat… you don't know what the hell your talking about."

"No, you don't know what the hell YOUR talking about! I can see that you wouldn't make a good Hokage. You don't care about anyone but yourself! You don't give a damn if a girl dies because of a freak accident with my jutsu! You don't give a shit for the town you were raised in! Well my town might think I'm some freak, but I'll tell you right now. TO BE HOKAGE IS MY DREAM! And I will never give up in anything I do. If I did I wouldn't have the right to be one."

Tsunade was staring at him with a mixture of pain, sadness, and shock. She balled up a fist.

"YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME!" She slammed her fist into the ground and an enormous shockwave went out. Naruto was thrown back as a crater formed under Tsunade. Naruto charged her with a kunai, but she caught his arm in a display of speed he hadn't seen before and threw him into the air.

Naruto was coming down and he saw Jiraiya trying to talk her out of punching him as he fell._ If that hits, I'm dead. What do I… I'll use that._

Naruto threw a kunai down and a little away from Tsunade. She snickered drunkenly at his lack of aim. Suddenly a flash of light partially blinded her and she covered her eyes. It was only a second, but she turned with renewed eye sight to see a charging Naruto with a rasengan in his hands. She was shocked. She didn't move as he got within striking distance. She didn't move as it came to her chest. She didn't need to. Jiraiya was there, instantly, throwing Naruto off his path and causing the rasengan to create a small hole in the ground. It was still only partially formed.

"Tsunade?"

He turned to see Tsunade still with shock on her face.

"Jiraiya, was it you who taught him… that?"

"Me? No, I don't even know that. Taught him the rasengan though, getting pretty good at it, too. In only three weeks." Jiraiya looked over at his angry student with a bit of pride.

"Baka, teaching moves to kids who can't master them. Making him believe he can be Hokage…"

"SHUT UP! I'm still here, aren't I? Are you coming back yet or do I have to fight some more?"

"Naruto, this is over. No more fighting. She isn't an enemy."

"I don't give a damn! Hinata could be dieing right now!"

"Who is this Hinata to you, brat?"

"I love her!"

* * *

AN: This chapter is a little short on words. I try for over 5K, and this is a just barely over 5K. It was a lot of dialog, and I reached a cliffy ending, so I am stopping here. Besides, this is only TWO DAYs from my last update. TWO DAYS. Cool huh? Tsunade is wasted, she isn't a bitch all the time. Thanks for reading!


	17. Relationships

AN: I do not consider this a filler chapter. I spent time on this. Precious time that could be used studying or what-not. So appreciate it, damn it!

Ok, I was just messing with you there. This chapter is everything about what's going down around the ninja village while Naruto is on a mission to find Tsunade. A lot can happen in a month. Don't miss it! Oh, and the conclusion to Naruto's outburst is at the end, so chill.

* * *

Chapter 16: Without You

* * *

The faces of leaders passed on looked over the damaged city of Konoha. The city of heroes and legends. The first ninja village in the fire country. The city fated to lose their leaders to death before their time. The faces of the leaders long gone looked down on their city and the body of one of their own.

Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, lay in his final resting place surrounded by the cities populace and ninja. Every face was tinged with either sadness or anger, loss or hate. Even Hyuga broke into tears, to the shame of their clan. The coffin of the professor was covered in flowers, each a memory of the great ninja and leader. The sun was covered in the clouds of mourning. Next to the casket lay numerous plaques bearing the names of the fallen ninja and civilians, each being paid their respects at the same time. Eulogies were droned out between the civilians and the ninja, saying how great of a ninja she was, or how brave a father that man was, or how young the child had been when she had been torn from her life.

The brave were praised by the elders during the ceremony, celebrating the lives saved and the saviors of those lives. Many names were listed, of the ninja who had gone beyond the call of duty to save not only their own selves, but to save others in a way a ninja would not have been expected to.

The jonin, Anko Mitarashi, had been mentioned as taking multiple kunai wounds in the place of academy students by throwing herself in the way. The chunin, Iruka Umino, was mentioned for taking a sound jutsu directly to his body to protect the ears of his students. He wasn't able to even hear the announcement, he was still in recovery.

The genin, Shino Aburame, heir of the Aburame clan, was one of the few ninja to evacuate the arena during the attack. He was mentioned along with Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Kurenai Yuhi, Kakashi Hatake, Might Gai, Shikamaru Nara, and a few others. He was one of three, along with Kurenai and Kakashi, to stay till the actual demon showed its face.

Many others were wounded while protecting others, some mortally, and were honored along with the greatest of them all.

One name was left off of the list of honored, for various reasons, and some took notice of this.

Shino Aburame was shocked and angered when he was mentioned and, throughout the entire speech, Naruto had not been even mentioned. The one who had actually saved the city was not mentioned and Shino Aburame, merely helping citizens to the shelters, was honored? The air around Shino was filled with his insect's anger. Kurenai and Kakashi also shared glances, noticing a severe gap in the mentioning of who actually destroyed the demon. They had both mentioned Naruto as the one who had fought Gaara during the invasion, keeping the demon at bay until it was released and then, pulling a lucky move out of a hat, defeated the demon. They had not mentioned the demonic aura around him at the time, knowing that the information would likely cause a riot about 'the demon losing control'.

One of the others confused was the Uchiha heir, Sasuke Uchiha. He had, to his own discredit, helped a grand total of ten people in the shelter and then had stayed to guard the entrance with Sakura and Shikamaru. He certainly didn't feel like he deserved to be honored in front of the entire city. He became as angry as Shino, more so for not knowing the reason of Naruto's removal, when Naruto was not honored. Sasuke had known he would lose against Gaara the second the laughter had started after his chidori had hit. When the chakra that spiked in the sand bubble in front of him, he knew he had very little chance of making it against it. It felt like when Naruto had been angry at him for insulting Hinata and nearly frying her, multiplied by a hundred.

And Naruto had stayed to fight it. He had watched as he left as a rear guard for his ten people as Naruto fought toe to toe against something that clearly outclassed him. The only thing Naruto had that could match the demon was chakra stores and the killing intent he exuded. Naruto had deserved something, not him. Shikamaru felt the same, and told Sasuke when they ended up in the same restaurant after the ceremony. Sasuke had actually walked up to the kid he had never spoke a word to in his life and asked him what he thought of them leaving out Naruto in the ceremony. Choji, who had not seen it and only heard what Shikamaru had said, had responded first by saying it made him lose his appetite, which was obvious by the half empty plate and the Akimichi not moving towards it. Shikamaru had said, in no large amount of words, that Naruto had been left out because the chief elder was probably forced to not mention him.

Shikamaru had not specified anything beyond that.

Life seemed to continue as usual, missions were all D ranked clean up and rebuilding missions. A house a day was the team seven motto. The two person short team eight was sent on simpler missions, like replanting gardens, until their members returned. Naruto was sorely missed by nearly everyone, including Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke had no idea how Naruto had defeated a demon. He had gone so far as to question Shino about it, and never received an answer he was willing to accept. Sasuke knew that Naruto had grown stronger.

How strong, was the question?

How strong was the blond compared to before?

How strong was he compared to… him?

Sasuke needed to find out. Every moment he thought about the possibility of being outranked by Naruto he subconsciously reached his right hand to his left shoulder and rubbed the dull ache.

_You will one day find out that you are too weak to defeat him._

Was that day today?

_Sasuke-kun… will come to me._

Is this what he meant?

_You don't have a choice. You carry my mark._

Is 'this' causing the lust for power that Sasuke feels growing daily?

_After all… only I have the power._

Is it such a bad thing?

* * *

Anko and Iruka were often seen around dango shops throughout the city in the following weeks. They talked and smiled and laughed, everything normal people did. In the past, a man would wink at Anko and would find himself with a kunai at his throat, but her kill reflex seemed to lessen around Iruka. Now a man could wink at Anko and find himself laying on the ground with a broken nose from Iruka. Iruka would say that it was a reflex reaction to protect any woman. Then he would blush.

Granted, neither would admit to carrying on a relationship or anything like that. If they were out on a walk it was a walk and not a date. If they ate together it was for the sole purpose of reflecting on past experiences as normal adults and ninja, not as companions of a deeper level. Anko received no end of the teasing from Kurenai. Iruka, unlike other men, put Anko at peace. It seemed like the heaven's seal she bore on her body would decrease in power daily… at least every day she saw Iruka. There was no butterflies in her stomach, there were none in his, so they were obviously not dating and neither thought about the other in 'that' way.

Nope, not at all.

Kurenai and Kakashi, without knowing it, ended up together as a result of spying on the unlikely jonin/chunin pair. They decided to gather evidence to the contrary of what their friend and reluctant acquaintance said. Kakashi had met Iruka multiple times while receiving his genin for instruction, and had received lecture after lecture for going 'too hard' on team seven. The rest of the jonin instructors had also been told off by the chunin, and knew he was strong on the inside, even if he was a chunin in reality.

If only they had known.

Anko and Iruka were on one of their many 'not-dates' in a dango shop, ironically talking about Naruto who had left about two weeks earlier and how similar he was to Anko and how they needed to have a talk with each other. Across from them, sitting in one of the booths next to the street, two people sat completely secluded from the outside world. Two wide brimmed straw hats with bells on them covered their faces completely. Their robes, which must have been unbearably hot on a day like that, were black with red clouds. One wore a large bandaged sword on his back, easily five foot without the handle. Iruka and Anko had noticed a few things about them without staring. The two were either dancers or ninja by the way they moved with grace, not making a sound as they moved, even with the bells on their hats. They were not interested in dango as they just seemed to stare at their plates of dango.

They were fast. After watching a chance meeting between a startled Kakashi and Kurenai, who just happened to have been standing outside the dango stand Iruka and Anko had been in, and a stoic Sasuke. Sasuke had asked them some barely discernable question about Naruto and the invasion and then walked off. The interesting thing was that the two cloaked figures seemed to disappear as soon as Sasuke had introduced himself. Iruka and Anko calmly paid and walked outside, not knowing what they were getting into.

"Kakashi, Kurenai, are you two spying on me and Iruka… again."

"Ano… no?"

"Oh, so you two were out on a date. I see. Iruka, I think this calls for an announcement."

"WE WERE NOT ON A DATE!" Both ninja seemed to yell at the same time, turned to each other, blushed, and them looked to the opposite side of their companion. They had not been expecting for the spying to blow up in their faces.

"Yeah, whatever. So, those two guys…" Instantly the quartet was completely serious. The sign of a good ninja was the ability to instantly put aside the common day personality and put on their business outlook. These four were more then just 'good ninja'.

"Jiraiya told me about them. They appear to wear the same cloak as a mysterious organization called Akatsuki. A small group, about ten people. We don't know what they want, but I think it has something to do with…"

"Naruto. They want Naruto." Iruka surprised the other three with his thought.

"Why would you say that?"

"They disappeared when you, Kakashi, mentioned Sasuke's name, but they were listening to Anko's and my conversation about Naruto with absolute interest."

"You knew they were listening to us? How?"

"I changed my volume multiple times in the conversation. If they were listening to the only other people in there since we came in, they wouldn't have heard anything they said multiple times. Only me. They didn't move or seemed miffed."

"They could have just been listening to anything about the village…"

"Why would a secret organization of ten people want information about a village without a kage? They want to invade? Kakashi, they could be after Naruto for… you know."

"I was about to say the same before you interrupted me, why do you think I was surprised."

"What now then? Do we let them escape?"

"They don't know where Naruto is, I hope. But we should see who they are and confront them. The three of you need to go and head them off, I'll get Gai."

"Gai? Why the hell would we need Gai?"

"Because, Anko, he knows how to fight a sharingan user."

"What? What the hell are you…"

"Go."

"Fine, but Iruka here shouldn't go."

"Why the hell not? Kurenai, I am perfectly capable in a fight even though I teach school."

"The group is comprised of S-ranked criminals according to Jiraiya-sama's rumors, and you, a teacher, are chunin."

"Let's go, I can handle it." Iruka frowned for an instant and then seemed to disappear in front of them.

Iruka was gone before anymore complaints could be made. Anko smiled and shrugged, vanishing as well. Kurenai stared at Kakashi, who also smiled.

"I have invited him a few times to join ANBU, don't be too surprised."

Kurenai frowned and the vanished along with the Kakashi. She had just seen a chunin, reported to be a lover of peace and known user of light medical ninjutsu for children's bumps and scrapes, take off at a speed she, herself, couldn't pull off. No more complaints came from Kurenai.

* * *

The two members of Akatsuki walked calmly on a road next to a river a small bit away from Konoha. Neither showed surprise when three ninja appeared in front of them. Neither seemed to care.

"You, who are you and what were you doing in Konoha?" Anko seemed to take charge.

"…You… are Anko Mitarashi… ANBU interrogation expert… and Kurenai Yuhi, genjutsu specialist, jonin… and… someone I know not…"

"Iruka Umino, chunin and academy teacher." Iruka gave a smirk. It felt good to make people underestimate him. This was the first time in a long while he would be able to fight to his fullest. He found it hard to fight against a friend while fighting Mizuki, or when he first tested for jonin. Now he would get the chance of a lifetime.

To prove he wasn't just a teacher.

"Chunin? … you aren't just a chunin…"

Iruka frowned. The man shouldn't be able to tell that. Not unless he had one of the three great bloodlines…

"You know Kurenai and me. You didn't know Iruka, yet you sense his abilities? S-ranked criminal organization plus those things makes you… Uchiha Itachi. And a stooge."

The elder Uchiha removed his hat to reveal a boys face, surprising Iruka, but not enough to show or let his defense slip.

"Itachi, these pests bug me. Can I squash 'um?"

"I do not wish to draw more attention. Keep it down." The large man removed his own hat, throwing it to the wind. His face was a light blue and his pointed teeth showed in a grin. He gripped the handle of his massive blade and swung it into the ground in front of him. It was a very loose opening battle stance. Kurenai, stalling for Gai and Kakashi, suddenly remembered who the tall man was.

"You are Kisame, one of the seven swordsmen of the mist. I ran into a colleague of yours, Zabuza."

"Really? Kill 'em?"

"No, my own colleagues did."

"Good, the loser deserved it. The weakling was one of the main reasons our coup didn't succeed. Glad to hear he's dead."

"I see there isn't much companionshi…"

"Kisame… get it over with before reinforcements come."

"All 'ight." Kisame brought his massive sword up with one hand and lunged foreword to do a horizontal sweep at all three ninja. He stopped in surprise when his sword met a small rock pillar. Iruka was kneeling and had his hands on the ground. He looked up and smirked at Kisame before the rock pillar, barely five foot high, expanded to engulf part the blade inside of it. Kisame couldn't move it.

"Doton: Solid Earth Pillar." Kisame was about to activate his sword's hidden ability to absorb the chakra and free itself, but had the handle torn from his grasp as the pillar sunk back into the ground, dragging the sword with it.

"The reason I like this ninjutsu is that, once it is done, it naturally returns the earth I used to where it was removed from. Bedrock, which is thirty meters down from right here. Your sword won't be going anywhere for a few millennia."

"You… bastard!" Kisame went into a series of hand signs. "Suiton: Suikodan no jutsu!" Water surged from the lake and around Kisame before taking the form of a shark and surging towards Iruka and Anko, Kurenai had disappeared into one of her famous genjutsu. Just as the attack was about to hit, Anko stepped foreword. She had already put blood from her thumbs onto both of her hands and done several hand signs, which Iruka had not seen.

"Summoning Jutsu: Rashomo!"

A massive gate appeared in front of her and Iruka and took the attack like it was nothing. Iruka recognized the gate. It appeared to be the legendary gate to hell.

The gate sunk back into the ground when Anko stood up.

"The rashomo is an impenetrable barrier. A pathetic attack like that will not affect it."

"The gate to hell? So you trained under the traitor, Orochimaru. He used to be a member of our little club, but left to find his own way to our same goal."

"Which is? What do you want Naruto for?" Kisame looked shocked for the first time in the battle, and Itachi's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"Kisame… it is time for us to le…" He was cut off from saying the last part as he was forced to dodge a single kunai. Kisame wouldn't have been able to follow, because he was kicked high into the air by Might Gai a moment later. Itachi found himself surrounded instantly by Kurenai, Iruka, Anko and Kakashi, the one who had thrown the kunai. In his perfect mind, capable of capturing all and every minute detail, he forgot one thing.

Kurenai shouldn't be there.

* * *

Kisame was about to reach the apex of his flight when he saw out of the corner of his eyes someone behind him.

"I am Might Gai, the great handsome green beast of Konoha, the one who will kill you." Kisame didn't have air in his lungs to talk from the initial kick. He only had one thought.

_Damn, this guy is FAST!_

"Kaimon, KAI!"

"Kyumon, KAI!"

"Seimon, KAI!"

Kisame had reached the highest point in his trajectory. He saw that he would land in the water if he stayed like this. When he did, he would be at the advantage. Now, the problem was that the person behind him was spiking in chakra to the point where it wasn't human. Hell, the guy had double his own chakra.

"Shomon, KAI!"

"Tomon, KAI!"

"Keimon, KAI!"

Itachi didn't move. Each direction held an enemy, each direction was blocked. For now. Itachi hadn't even used his ace. He would wait to see if Kisame could pull him out without him wasting energy.

"NOW FACE THE TRUE POWER OF YOUTH! MORNING PEACOCK!"

_Morning wha…?_

The fall of Kisame at the hands of Might Gai was not something Kisame or Itachi had foreseen. Kisame was in midair, just sitting there as if time had frozen, while Might Gai sped up to the point where each punch could not be distinguished from another. The attack seemed to last only a second, but it was the longest and last second of Kisame's life. In the span of a second, Gai had unleashed the equivalent pressure of twenty tons of weight on his chest area. Not one rib wasn't shattered into dust. Not one organ wasn't turned to mush. Not one square centimeter of skin wasn't on fire from the air friction along Might Gai's fists. Time seemed to speed back up as Kisame fell, or flew, towards the water. The water put out the fire, but Kisame was through the water and into the riverbed in an instant. The water covered the bloodied remains of the swordsman. Itachi was, for the first time in his life, shocked.

Gai fell to the ground and promptly collapsed. Anko was already in front of him, between him and Itachi.

"One down, one to go."

"Be careful, this guy was ANBU at the age of thirteen."

"So? I was tortured for a childhood."

"I've taught better students, including the one they want."

"Same here, hell I currently teach the kid."

Kakashi sighed without letting his guard down. They didn't care if they were facing the shinigami himself, if a fellow ninja's life was on the line then they would put their own life on the line. Itachi turned from where he was looking at the river to Kakashi.

"I guess… I need to finish you off… then…" He closed his eyes. "I will let you see… my true power." He began to open his eyes. Kakashi murmured under his breath. "Mangekyo…" Kakashi collapsed to his knees in sweat an instant later.

"Everyone, don't look… at his eyes…" Gai was strugeling to stand. "If you do, you'll be under a genjutsu instantly."

"Really? That's amazing. Because I…" Kurenai disappeared. Itachi knew something was wrong. What had he missed? He knew what he just saw wasn't genjutsu. Was it…

_Did she just dispel a genjut…_

"Enjoy genjutsu."

SNAP

If there was one thing in Itachi's life he was the least in touch with, it was pain. Sure, he had trained harder then most and felt the aches and small pains in his muscles. He had scraped a knee or cut himself as a kid. He had been punched as a ninja. But Itachi had never been wounded seriously. Never. True pain was beyond him.

Until now.

Kurenai Yuhi, a famous genjutsu user, was also very good assassin by default. She knew techniques and ninjutsu to instantly kill. But against an S-ranked criminal who slaughtered his own clan who could see through genjutsu with ease if he tried? She had to try something new… or old as it turned out. Itachi Uchiha found himself in a punji trap, an altered version. Bamboo had shot up from the surrounding ground and… through Itachi. One through his left leg. One through his right leg. One through each shoulder. One through his stomach. Each was coming from another angle, so pulling himself off of them was out of the question. And it never crossed his mind.

For the first time in his life, Itachi had lost. Itachi had been wounded. Itachi had not bothered to look through a genjutsu. Itachi had been tricked.

Outsmarted.

Outwitted.

Trapped.

Caught.

Killed.

Itachi smiled for a moment as a trickle of blood went down his chin. He felt his body lose blood at a rate he had thought should have been slower.

"Very good, Kurenai. Iruka. Anko. Kakashi. You did what no other could. At least I got my wish. I guess I wasn't… up to the… test… Tell… Sasuke… not to follow me… Kakashi…" Itachi's eyes lost life and his body slumped on the spiked bamboo. Kakashi sighed.

_Kami… what do I tell Sasuke?

* * *

_

Hanabi Hyuga didn't have much to do since the invasion. Her father was always at meetings and had no time to train. No one wanted to spar with her. She didn't feel like training. So she just sat by her sister's side, waiting. Watching.

She didn't have much to listen to. Just the beep… beep… beep… of the heart monitor. She didn't have much to look at, a blindingly white room with a few monitors, a respirator, a few I.V.s, and Hinata. Her sister.

For being a younger sister, thinking back, she wasn't a very good one. She remembered all the times Hinata would help her with training. Make her tea. Smile when she was around. Greet her everyday. Hanabi had never, ever, thought her sister was a bad person.

But she had been weak.

Hinata was blind in a clan of people who could see everywhere at once. Hinata had to rely on walls to walk, or others, in a clan filled with people who held their pride above their lives. Hinata just wasn't Hyuga.

But, then again, she had been a nicer person then anyone in the clan… ever.

And Hanabi hadn't cared.

Hanabi wouldn't help Hinata with her training or anything. Hanabi didn't even know how to make tea, because Hinata would always make it. Hanabi never smiled. Hanabi never said hello to her sister. And Hanabi never considered herself less of a person then Hinata.

Until now.

Her sister had proven her wrong. The chunin exams had brought out Hinata in a light that had impressed her in a way she never could have been before. Neji had gotten a hit off on Hinata. One hit. And Hinata had still held together for seconds after to block another attack… without sight.

Hanabi was wrong.

And she was sorry.

"Nee-sama… I… I wish… please wake up. Please, don't leave. I need to tell you… I need to say gomen."

Hanabi wept.

* * *

Kakashi was surprised when he mentioned to Sasuke about his brother. The reaction was not what he had expected. Instead of trying to kill Kakashi, Sasuke just stared at him.

"You mean… to tell me… that Itachi was here… hours ago… and you and a few jonins killed him?"

"That's right. His body is in the morgue, we don't need you to identify him or anything. It is obviously him."

"…why?"

"He was threatening to kidnap one of our village's ninja. Missing ninja have kill on sight status."

"Me?"

"I am not allowed to say."_ Even if I was, I wouldn't tell him._

"… what now…" Sasuke, who had been sitting beside the bed of his very worn out sensei, just looked out the window with a look of absolute apathy. Inside, his mind wanted to cry, scream, leap for joy, and kill his sensei for taking his life's purpose away. He decided to just sit.

"What am I going to do now? My life to this point was geared too killing Itachi… and now he's gone… no more nightmares. No more Mangekyo haunting my sleep."

"You knew he had the Mangekyo?"

"He used something on me that night… something only a mangekyo could cause."

"He did it on me too, that's why I'm in here."

"What happened in… the world…"

"I was stabbed, over and over, for seventy two hours… though time slowed to a crawl and I feel like it has been an eternity…"

"When he did it on me… he showed me the scenes of him killing my family, over and over, for eternity as well. I wonder if he knew it would continue every night of my life in my dreams…"

"Probably."

"…what now…"

"I wish I knew. If I was you, I would find a nice girl to fall in love with and, as soon as you're old enough to inherit your family's estate, marry her and live a content life in the comfort the money will provide. Or, you could continue to train as a ninja, getting stronger until you make it into the ANBU, at which point you won't have time to start a family or anything along those lines. The last option is the one I would most suggest not doing. You could continue to hate your dead brother and think that only by growing stronger then he ever was will you be able to claim peace. That path is the path you brother told me to tell you to not take. His dieing breath was used to beg you to not follow in his footsteps. His path is an endless cycle of hate and death."

"I…"

"Don't tell me… I won't remember… I only have a few minutes before I lose consciousness… doctors call it mental trauma, or something… but a person is coming who specializes in it, so I'll be fine. You and Sakura… do some training while I'm out. Kiba too."

"Sure, sensei."

"Good."

Sasuke walked out of the room. He rubbed his shoulder, but stopped instants later. His hand dropped. He didn't need the curse seal anymore. He didn't need the strength hatred and anger brought him. He didn't need to beat Itachi anymore. So... what now?

* * *

_What the hell did he just say?_

_What the hell did I just say?_

Naruto stood across from Tsunade, the slug sennin, in a mostly destroyed street. A fight had just been put on hold while two spectators watched with a mixture of surprise, that a genin was taking a sennin on in combat and not doing too bad, and of shock at what the genin had just said. Tsunade was looking at Naruto with the same shock. Surprisingly, Naruto's face showed the most surprise of all of them.

"You… mean that? Brat?"

"I… yeah… I guess I do…"

"There isn't any guessing in that subject, boy! You either are, or you aren't! It's that simple."

"THEN I AM! I am in love with Hinata-chan, and you are the only one who can save her life. EITHER YOU COME BACK NOW, OR I DRAG YOUR UNCONSCIOUS BODY BACK WITH ME!"

Jiraiya was getting frightened. He had never seen Naruto this worked up. He had never seen Tsunade this wasted in a fight. And to make matters worse… Naruto was starting to leak red chakra.

"Naruto, calm down…"

"CALM DOWN? I'll calm down when this old lady agrees to heal Hinata!"

"Never."

"Tsunade-sama!"

"Quiet, Shizune. This brat needs to learn a lesson. Love can't save lives."

"No? Really? I thought it could, because I am obviously back in that hospital room trying to love her back out of a coma. I know love can't save her life, BUT YOU CAN!"

"I refuse."

"You don't have that option."

"Tsunade-hime, what's the problem? I have never seen…"

"Shut up, Jiraiya. You know what Orochimaru said to me? You want to know? He said he can bring them back…"

"What?"

"HE SAID HE CAN FUCKING BRING THEM BACK!" Tsunade had collapsed to her knees in tears.

"But… Tsunade…"

"Yeah… I know… it's impossible… but… but if I could… if I could only see them again… one more time… it would be…" Naruto was next to her. It appeared that he had calmed down. He was kneeling in front of her without the leaking red chakra.

"Bachan… I'm sorry for saying you don't know how I feel. You do."

"Brat… you can't understand what it takes for me to not kill you right now… you remind me… so much of them…"

"Is that so bad?"

Tsunade was still weeping as she grabbed Naruto's neck. Jiraiya tried to pry her hand off, but her inhuman strength kept the grip just short of crushing his windpipe. Naruto didn't flinch.

"… no… I guess not…"

Her grip shifted, but not into a killing crush. Naruto found himself on the receiving end of a hug from a fifty some year old woman. She just knelt there and wept into his shoulder. Naruto didn't push her away, he didn't try to bring her around. Naruto just sat there and let the sennin cry out the tears she had held in for years.

* * *

Naruto was training. He shoved another of the swirling spheres of chakra into a tree, nearly toppling it. After Tsunade-bachan had gone all teary eyes a few nights before, Naruto had made a deal with her. He said that if he couldn't master the rasengan in a week, he would let her go. If he did, then she would come back to, at least, heal Hinata. She even said she would give him some special necklace if he won. It was the first Hokage's and it was supposed to be cursed. Naruto knew a lot about curses. If he lost, it meant all of his loose cash, a lot of money. But Hinata was worth it. And besides, he was coming along quite well with the rasengan. At times, usually only for a split second, he could feel the ball come into perfect focus. He would try to shove it into a tree, but would lose concentration.

Tsunade and Jiraiya spent most nights in the bar, drinking sake and talking about the good old times, which weren't all that good. Naruto learned a lot from Jiraiya and his occasional visit from Shizune. All about how Tsunade had lost a brother who looked a lot like Naruto to war, and his dream had been to be Hokage. How, years later, she had met a guy, fallen in love, and then had him taken from her in the same way. His dream had also been to be Hokage. Both had worn the necklace at their deaths. Naruto was determined to not only get the necklace, but prove the curse to be true. If only a person destined to be Hokage could wear it, then he would wear it with pride.

They learned about Orochimaru, who was coming back at the end of the week, and how he had developed a jutsu to bring back the dead as lifeless corpses. Naruto knew that Orochimaru had made it onto his 'top ten people to kill' list. On that list, only three were serious. Number three was the jerk, Neji, if he ever so much as looked at Hinata again. Number two was Orochimaru, the bastard who killed the Hokage. Number one on his list was a man he didn't know the name of. The person who took Hinata's eyes would die without his pity or remorse for making Hinata's life as bad as it was.

Naruto shoved another almost formed rasengan into a tree. It crashed to the ground without a trunk to support it. Naruto smiled. He was getting stronger.

* * *

AN: Yes, I killed Itachi. Yes, Kisame is dead. No, the Akatsuki is not a major player in this story. If you want a story with the Akatsuki as an enemy, then you should read my story, Loving the Fox. Not much there, but a final fight with Madara. I have no intention of turning this into something like the manga, a "Naruto-dedicates-his-life-to-finding-Sasuke" fic. So I killed Itachi. I might kill Orochimaru in the next chapter. The enemy of my story, the main one, is obviously the ninja who took her eyes and his village. I could care less about Akatsuki or Sound. BUT… I will let Gaara come back for a fight. I love Gaara. He is my number two ninja ever. First is Hinata. Second is Gaara. Third is Shino. Fourth is post time skip Shikamaru. I mean, the way he tossed that cig to the explosive note trap he caught Hiden in! HELL YEAH, BAD ASS! Naruto is down there, for being a dumb ass and not figuring out Hinata. But he is higher on my list then, say, Sasuke. Sasuke is insane. Just look at him post time skip. Insane. He doesn't even change his facial expression. Not at all. Almost. Insane is cool in Gaara, not Sasuke. If Gaara wasn't earth based, he could take Sasuke. Enough rambling. Next chapter is on its way.


	18. Life versus Death

AN: OK, sorry, first of all, for the long wait on update. I had no time during break, I have more time at college then at home to write. Second, I am sorry that a few people didn't appreciate me killing off Itachi. With a genjutsu. I thought I put my reasoning down, but here it is again.

This is AU. This story has no problem with the Akatsuki, only with the thieves of the Byakugan. Third, Sasuke leaving would complicate things to the extent that I don't actually care to go. I said before, this isn't like the manga which should really be called, "How Naruto wants to save Sasuke" not just "Naruto". Sasuke is not a major player in this story, so I took him and his brother and the Akatsuki out of play all at once, at the soonest possible time. And one of the main reasons why I got rid of both Itachi and Kisame was because, while they rock in the manga and anime they aren't immortal. I don't care what anyone else says. While Itachi is a bad ass some of the time, he isn't a god and I really wanted to kill him in a way no one would expect. And a genjutsu while going against three jonin and a chunin was a shocker, to say the least. It came to me and I figured that would be the way to do it. I wanted him dead.

To the one who said the sharingan automatically sees through genjutsu, I don't know that. Did it ever say that, or does it just make it incredibly easy to shrug them off? I have never seen a specific conversation that says genjutsu are automatically seen through, just that they "won't work". If you know one is on, then it is over with, but when you don't know then you aren't looking for it.

And Gai wasn't tired after using six gates? He looked it, and that was three years of training later then now. For the sake of things, he needed to be out of it. I wanted to kill Itachi with either the sweet irony of Kurenai or Iruka.

Orochimaru will also die sometime, don't know when. Maybe in this chapter, as I am writing this before actually starting on the chapter. Who knows? Not me, certainly… maybe heaven, but I doubt it.

* * *

Chapter 17: Life versus Death

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha, last of the great Uchiha clan, was busy staring at the sky. For the first time in his life he was not training while it was time to train and Sakura was. Before his family had been murdered, his father would make him train. After the massacre it was a matter of getting stronger for revenge and training would be the definition of free time to the young Uchiha. Now… he had no reason. No reason to train, to be a ninja. No reason to hate, no reason to barricade himself from others. No reason to care. No reason to dream.

No reason to live.

He sat leaning against the training post that, at one time, Kiba had been tied to. The day he had learned that team work was apparently more important then individual skill. The day he had rejected that teaching again, knowing the path he walked was one best walked alone. But he had no path anymore. Sasuke felt as if he had been following a well lit road and had suddenly found himself in the middle of nowhere. No place to go and no place to return to. Sasuke was lost.

"What now?"

That one phrase was the only thing he had said for days. Ever since his sensei had told him that the end of his journey had suddenly disappeared. His road led nowhere. The path so easy to follow became imperceptible and had no specific goal. Life was meaningless, but not any different.

It was just a temporary lack of direction.

But where… in what direction should he head?

His fan girls would encourage him to choose one of them to help him "recreate his clan". He teammate, Sakura, would say the same. They weren't the kinds of girls he would really consider worth settling down with. They loved him for his looks or his attitude that masked his true self. Only Sakura even knew that his goal had been to kill an individual man, not why or who. And he wouldn't have told her. She would have told everyone to use it at a way to show how close she was to "her Sasuke-kun". At one time he would have said that when she was being a ninja she could be… nice. But it seemed like every day she proved to him that the ninja in her that he liked was not her true self. If he was to settle down with a girl he needed to find one that didn't act like he was a magnet and she was the opposite polarity.

He could always continue on in his ninja career until he died in a mission or from old age sometime. He had the talent, but was that what he wanted? Would becoming a chunin, a jonin, an ANBU black ops... would it fulfill him? The future filled with danger and uncertainty... was that what he wanted or just what he had been once willing to accept to reach his goal?

It would take a long time to think about this. A lifetime, maybe.

Just how long he had.

But... how long could he wait till his choice made no difference?

Sasuke sighed again, a common occurrence lately, and almost stood up. Almost, because a large shurikin came from some distance away and embedded itself inches from the top of his hair. He instantly froze, prepared to move at the small chance of an enemy attack, and equally prepared to leave if it was just some stupid ninja throwing randomly into the air.

What he wasn't expecting was for a girl his own age to sprint out of the bushes, brown hair and chocolate eyes mixing in with the trees behind her. He certainly didn't expect for her to look at him, not with admiration or the look of a fan girl, but with a look of surprise. Just surprise. Nothing else.

"Oh! Are you ok? Damn, that's the last time Lee gets to try to use one of my weapons! You're ok, right?"

Sasuke was still frozen, half risen from the ground, with a massive shurikin way too close to his favorite head. If it had been anyone else he would have just walked away with his trademark "huh", but he didn't know what was going on. He had seen the girl once before, he knew…

"Hello? You ok or what? He didn't hit you, did he Uchiha-san?"

"Wha… No… who are you?"

The girl stopped a few feet away. She looked him over for a moment, not as a butcher would look over an animal, similar to fan girls, but just to see if he was wounded or something.

"Me? Ten-ten. I graduated a year ahead of you, watched you fight in the chunin exam. I was in the prelims, but forfeited to Neji Hyuga. I can see why you wouldn't know me. You buy most of your weapons in my family's store, though."

"That's your store?"

"Yeah, not one weapon in there I don't get to personally test at least once. This…" She reached out and ripped the massive shurikin that was stuck at least a foot into the training log out in one pull, surprising Sasuke with her strength. "… is a new type of shurikin my father developed… with my help of course. Spins much faster then a normal one, so it sinks into the target further. Lee, my other teammate, isn't that great with throwing weapons. He is more of a taijutsu guy, and when he offered to help me test them I figured he could at least remember not to use his massive strength and to throw it towards the target. But no… he can't even do that. He literally missed the broad side of a house. And, luckily, your pretty hair."

Sasuke didn't have a chance to do anything. Part of him wanted to walk away and continue thinking about his own problems and leave the talkative, but interesting girl by herself. Part of him was surprised at finding a girl who talked so casually about creating a shurikin that would sink into a target better, that had massive strength, and called his hair pretty. So surprised he didn't move.

No one had called his hair pretty since his mother…

"Are you sure you're ok? Still shook up from the invasion or something?"

"No… I… no."

"No, you're not ok?"

"Hai… wait… no?"

Ten-ten gave a laugh. "You make it sound like you don't know if you're ok or not!"

"I… don't."

"What do you mean by that? You're alive, right?"

"… Hai."

"You're not injured?"

"No."

"Anyone you care about injured or dead?"

"…yeah." _Why am I telling her that?_

"Well then…" Ten-ten sat down and pushed the still half standing Sasuke back to the ground. "… the best thing you can do is talk about it. Don't worry about me, this was the last thing to test today. What's on your mind?"

Sasuke was at another cross roads. An unexpected one, and he was too surprised to think about which path to take.

So he didn't think. He chose the first road that came to his attention.

"It started when I was young, living with my clan…"

Maybe he could take this path... at least for a while.

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki was ready, or as ready as he would ever be. He had managed what felt and acted like a full fledged rasengan. Fully compact and blue and, most of all, powerful. It felt like he was holding a storm in his hand, or hands as it turned out. Naruto was completely tired out. He stood, barely, in the remains of what had been his training grounds for one week. It was a mess of downed trees, craters, and wood chips, and it would probably never be the same again.

Rasengan was not an eco-friendly jutsu, Naruto had found out.

It was high time for him to head back and show the old lady his progress.

Naruto frowned at the thought.

He regretted a lot that had happened that night of the fight. He had done some serious thinking while training about all that the blond sannin had said. She had been in love, or at least had loved family. And then she had had that love ripped from her hands in a cruel war. Naruto frowned as he began to limp towards the place he was staying with Jiraiya.  
Her story was his, only Hinata was dieing a slow death and had a chance to be saved.

Why couldn't Tsunade-bachan see that? That she could spare everyone the pain she had been through, that her selfishness was only causing more pain in Konoha when she could prevent it? She wallowed in her own grief and let others come to the same situation as her… when she could help them.

It was a foreign idea to Naruto, not helping when one could. He knew the joy that came from helping someone in real need. How a person could become happy merely by helping others be happy. He just knew that as soon as Tsunade came back and started healing again, she wouldn't leave because she would be loved again. Everyone loved a hero…

Most of the time.

Unless you were an unknown hero.

Naruto stopped to rest on a large boulder that was on his way, knowing that he probably would pass out as soon as he lay down on it, but not caring. He sat down and lay on his back, staring at his twitching right hand. The pain was constant now. Jiraiya had told him it would stop hurting after a while, but that could be years for all Naruto knew. Jiraiya said it was caused because the rasengan was doing something unnatural with the chakra network, and the repetition of the jutsu would alter the chakra network slightly. The pain was from the channels and tenketsu moving millimeter after millimeter. The benefits of the change, though, seemed to outweigh the pain. Eventually, Jiraiya had said, he would be able to improve the rasengan. But only after the chakra network had finished altering to the first stage of the rasengan. Then he could start changing it even more by adding size, power and something called nature manipulation. Jiraiya wasn't specific, but said he would teach him later.

Naruto's eye lids refused to stay open much longer. His hand, though in pain, wouldn't keep him awake long enough to reach a proper bed. All he hoped was that he would be awake when morning came and he was able to show the old lady his jutsu. And, maybe, show Orochimaru it in a more intimate light. Shoving the blue ball right into his own probably nonexistent balls. Naruto fell asleep with a smirk on his face, not noticing that he was being watched by one concerned young medic.

She had watched him train and watched him fight. All for some girl he loved. Shizune smiled, knowing that if her mistress was ever to change, it would be this boy who did it. She carefully picked him up and carried him to the room he shared with Jiraiya. She hoped the old pervert wasn't there to greet her in his usual way...

* * *

Jiraiya and Tsunade had, once again, been out all night at a small sake bar. Jiraiya had apparently tried to drink her under the table and managed to get knocked out. At least, that's what Shizune first thought when she walked into the apartment just before noon to check on Naruto. Jiraiya was sprawled out over the bed and appeared to be asleep from the back, so she just shrugged and walked to the sleeping Naruto in the other bed. He appeared to be in good health, sleeping lightly, which was surprising due to the intense training he had been going through. Even the cuts he had received from the splinters of the trees he had destroyed were gone, leaving not even a mark. She wasn't surprised, Tsunade had told her the sad story of Naruto the night they had met.

Sad indeed, but Naruto had found someone he loved, so it wasn't all bad. At least, not yet.

Shizune was startled slightly when she heard Jiraiya groan from behind her. She spun around to check on the sleeping hermit, only to find that he wasn't asleep at all. His eyes were open and looking at her.

"Shi…shizune?"

"Jiraiya-sama? Are you ok?"

"Not… sure… Tsunade… drugged…"

Shizune gasped. Things had just taken a turn for the worst. Tsunade had been gone for almost ten minutes, she had passed her on her way to the room. Naruto was out, Jiraiya was out. The only sannin level ninja was already out there and, quite possibly, ready to either accept the offer of Orochimaru or try to take him and his flunky on alone. A suicide mission either way, probably.

"Shizune-nee-sama? Morning. Where's bachan?"

Shizune spun again, this time to see the waking Naruto.

Things just kept getting more complicated. Maybe being a sannin apprentice wasn't the best career choice after all. Her mother had always said…

Who cares? Shizune wouldn't trade her position for any other.

"She's gone to face Orochimaru, Jiraiya is drugged, and you shouldn't even be awake."

"I recover quickly. What happened to Ero-sennin? Drugged? You know he once told me the roots of evil were money, women, and sake? Look at him now."

"Not… fair…" Jiraiya, with an incredible display of will power, managed to throw his legs over the edge of the bed and shakily stand. Naruto hopped out of his own bed.

"We'll… we'll need to hurry if we are going to have any chance of saving Tsunade. The last thing I remember last night was her saying how she was going to personally kill Orochimaru. I don't see how, with that fear of blood." Jiraiya walked over to the window and climbed onto the sill. "Naruto, let's go. It is high time you show us just how strong you are. If you don't… well, you won't need to worry about saving Hinata anymore."

Naruto's face was completely serious. He had gotten use to the subtle teasing and way of speaking of the odd hermit. He knew that it was not an insult to him or a shot at Hinata. He was telling him that either he fight to the best of his ability or he would die.

And dieing was not in Naruto's plans.

* * *

Naruto, Jiraiya, and Shizune, all were flying over the roof tops, hoping to reach the place Tsunade was supposed to meet Orochimaru before she healed his arms or before she died fighting him. Halfway there they all turned at the same time and jumped to the north. A massive chakra presence and killing intent was coming from that direction and they all knew that one thing was certain. Tsunade had gotten pissed off. Naruto couldn't remember sensing chakra so strong. It outranked Shukaku by almost double.

_**What did you expect?**_

_Kyuubi? What do you mean?_

_**Orochimaru and Tsunade, along with Jiraiya, are probably the strongest ninja in this part of the country. Very few ninja would stand a chance against any of them, and you are going to be in a battle with all three. When, not if, when you need me I'll be ready to give you two tails of chakra.**_

_And if I need more?_

_**You won't have the chance to find out. If it isn't enough to keep up with Orochimaru, you'll be dead before you pull more.**_

_Great… wasn't there supposed to be an assistant with him? Maybe I'll take him._

_**This is a sannin fight, you don't get to choose anything.**_

_Hey, don't underestimate me! I might not be sannin level, but I can take care of myself! And we have two sannin on our side._

_**A drugged one and one who is deathly afraid of blood. Good job picking teams, kit.**_

_Shut it! I'll show you exactly what I can do right here! And I'll only use your chakra if I really need it to survive._

_**As Jiraiya said, you better show me. But don't get cocky, or you'll die.**_

The group came across a wide open field with some rocks here and there north of the town. Three figures were in the field, and Naruto recognized each and everyone. Before they jumped in, Naruto decided to do something he wouldn't have done with anyone else.

"Wait, sensei!"

Jiraiya was about to jump in and help, even in his weakened state, but stopped before jumping from the last rooftop. Naruto did a few hand signs before touching both his and Shizune's heads.

_Ero-sennin, can you understand me?_

"WHAT THE HELL? Naruto, are you in my mind?"

_Yeah, and Shizune's. Don't talk. We can understand through just our thoughts now._

_Naruto-kun… where did you learn this?_

_I made it._

_This is the jutsu you told me about?_

_Hai. Now let's go. We don't need to talk out loud now. _

_Hai._

_Hai._

Jiraiya threw a smoke bomb that landed between Tsunade, who was now on her knees with blood on her face, and her opponents. When the smoke cleared, three ninja stood between a sannin, a jonin, and their prey.

* * *

"Kabuto…"

"Naruto-kun, nice to see you again." Kabuto smiled as he brought his non bloody hand to push his glasses up on his nose. Orochimaru smirked at Jiraiya.

"Well well well… the team is back together."

"There is no team, Hebi. It ended a long time ago." As he spoke, Jiraiya thought through the link.

_Naruto, protect Tsunade. Shizune, take the glasses freak. I've got Orochimaru._

_But I can take…_

_Naruto, I can tell. That Kabuto kid is probably about Kakashi's level._

_Kakashi… I only need one attack, though._

_Protect Tsunade, Naruto!_

_Fine, I will. Good luck._

_Same to you._

The entire conversation happened in the span of one more sentence from the snake sannin. The instant he spoke his last bitter word Shizune was charging Kabuto while Jiraiya was using a summoning jutsu.

Kabuto dodged a few senbon needles that Shizune threw with absolute accuracy before performing the summoning jutsu with his master's tattoo. Two massive snakes appeared under the villains and one tiny frog appeared in front of Jiraiya. He just stared at his failure with his jaw hanging open.

Naruto had to smile slightly. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jiraiya had summoned none other then Gamakichi, Naruto's training partner during the month before the chunin finals. The frog hopped onto Naruto's head.

"Hey, bro! What's up?"

"Gamakichi, you need to hide."

"Why?"

"Look." The frog looked up for the first time… and up and up and… he seemed to see after a few seconds that the large walls in front of them were not walls at all.

"Gotcha, I'll be back there."

The frog hopped off and went for a rock a large distance away.

Kabuto hopped off his snake and went for Shizune. Jiraiya went towards the snakes to take on the main hebi. Naruto stood back and watched. That was, he watched until the snakes decided to try to take him out in a double tackle. Tsunade was still stunned, so he grabbed her and jumped out of the way. He made a clone and threw her to it and had it run a small distance away in case she got the will to fight again. As he watched her land in his clone's arms safely he turned to find a gaping maw way too close. Then it closed and he saw nothing but darkness.

* * *

Shizune was pulling out all of her tricks. She might have been a medical ninja, but she could fight when she needed to. She was an expert in poisons, after all. She watched as Kabuto's hand's began to glow, determined to avoid them at all costs. She started a long range battle. She threw some of her larger needles by hand, making him dodge, then fired faster ones from the launcher hidden under her sleeve, making him block.

"You are very skilled with those senbon, Shizune-san." Kabuto had a kunai out and was smiling at her. It only increased her will to win. She was the only ninja fighting at full potential, except Naruto, so she had to win if they were to have a chance. She didn't bother to reply. Waste of time, waste of breath.

"Poison Mist!" Shizune sent out a cloud of purple gas from her mouth that quickly engulfed a startled Kabuto. She immediately backed up. He wouldn't fall for that. She felt him emerging from the ground below her just before she jumped out of the way. Both glowing hands closed on nothing when they would have closed on her ankles. Kabuto popped out of the ground a second later, angry at his miss. Shizune pulled a few more handfuls of senbon out.

She threw ten, none of which would hit. She shot five from the launcher, all of which would need to be blocked. She spat two from her mouth, hidden under her tongue, but they were much smaller and almost invisible compared to the others. Those two were the ones she wanted to hit him with. Her masterpiece poison, the best she ever came up with. She had worked up an immunity to it, but there was no antidote if taken in large enough quantities to people without an immunity. A large drop was enough to guarantee a kill. She had double on each needle. Kabuto surprised her by blocking all five needles from her launcher and managing to block her two small needles on his headband. She frowned for a second… then she realized how close he had gotten. She was slammed in her chest an instant later by a blue glowing hand.

Shizune went flying back, coughing blood due to the damage to her lungs. She knew she was out of the battle.

_He's so fast…

* * *

_

Jiraiya had leapt onto one of the giant snakes to face Orochimaru. He was definitely not feeling his best. It felt like the first time he had ever gotten completely wasted and beaten half to death in the same night. Good times…

But the battle was not going well. Naruto was fighting a snake by himself, until his thoughts began to sound like disgusted retches. Jiraiya had been bitten in the neck by the disgusting snake and had only managed to stick his foot full of holes with one of his less powerful hair jutsu. Jiraiya was having it hard, but he was about to let loose one of his best.

"Doton: Swamp of the Underworld!" Jiraiya had jumped to a rock a distance away before using his jutsu. It caused the snake Orochimaru was riding to sink into a newly formed swamp of red mud. It wouldn't be able to move anymore. The other snake was just laying down for some odd reason, engulfed in the swamp as well. Jiraiya hopped back onto the snake to once again face Orochimaru. He didn't attack though, because he felt something happening with Naruto. Both sannin on the snake turned to face Tsunade.

* * *

Naruto never wanted to be eaten by a snake. Luckily, Naruto was too small to be swallowed against his will. The snake hissed in distress when Naruto forced its jaw open and climbed out, and tried to crush him with its head as he hit the ground, but Naruto rolled out of the way. It was then that he noticed that Shizune was barely conscious, and that Kabuto was next to Tsunade.

Naruto remembered what Jiraiya had said. Kabuto was Kakashi's level. But he didn't care.

The old lady was in trouble.

A punch went towards her jaw. Kabuto smirked as he swung towards a mighty sannin. He was surprised, as was every battler watching, when Naruto intercepted the punch on his headband, causing the metal to dig into his skin despite the cloth behind it. Blood trickled down his face as he stood in the way of the medic ninja. He had a smirk on his face. He held his right hand out.

"Kabuto, I never thought you were a good guy, even in the exam. But I never thought you were a baka. Only bakas like you would ever get me mad by trying to hurt one of my friends." A sphere of blue began to form in his hand. He knew it wouldn't complete, he hadn't gotten a one handed one perfected. But the chakra should be strong enough to at least injure him. Naruto threw his arm out towards Kabuto in an attempt to rip his skin with the low level rasengan.

Kabuto dodged.

Naruto had only an instant to be shocked at his speed before he felt something in his right leg give way. Kabuto had severed the tendons, making it almost impossible to move. Naruto collapsed to his knee.

"Naruto-kun, such disrespect. Don't you understand? You can't stand up to someone of my caliber."

"Teme… I… can stand!" Naruto painfully got to his feet. Kabuto was standing some feet away. He pulled a card from his sleeve.

"Naruto-kun, do you remember what you said back in the chunin exam? You told Neji Hyuga you would fight and win for… who? Hinata-chan?" Naruto tensed up. He created a single clone, at which Kabuto smirked. "You fight for the silliest things. Apparently, from what I last heard, she was in a coma that was steadily declining into death. Too bad, you can't win for her. You can't even win. She will die back in that hospital and you can't do anything about it."

"You... BASTARD!" Naruto didn't charge. He couldn't with the injured leg. But he could make the guy damn sorry he ever brought Hinata into the fight.

Kabuto charged with a kunai.

"So you want to die? Come now, Naruto-kun. You can go home and watch your girl die in peace." Kabuto stabbed his kunai towards Naruto.

Tsunade, who knelt behind Naruto, saw blood splatter around him.

"Naruto!"

"Don't worry, Tsunade-bachan." Naruto turned to face her. He had the kunai stabbed through his hand and he was gripping the fist that held it, trapping Kabuto next to him. "I said I would win the bet, didn't I? Well, watch closely."

The clone next to Naruto started moving his hands around Naruto's one free one. The glowing blue ball appeared once more, but instead of letting tendrils of chakra run free, it condensed into a solid sphere. Kabuto's eyes went wide.

"You shouldn't have mentioned Hinata-chan, Kabuto-teme. RASENGAN!" Naruto shoved the sphere into Kabuto's stomach. Kabuto knew when the power overwhelmed him. He couldn't even bring his arm up to counter. Naruto held onto his hand until he couldn't anymore, and then Kabuto was sent flying twenty meters into a solid rock.

Naruto smirked. He had just taken out a guy Kakashi's level without the Kyuubi.

He continued to smile until he saw Kabuto start to get up. Kabuto stood, took two steps, and then collapsed again. Naruto sighed in relief. That was, until he heard a warning shouted in his mind.

_Naruto! Watch out!_ Naruto turned towards the snakes in the swamp to see a quickly approaching Orochimaru with a sword coming from his mouth. Naruto had no time to think, only to act. He grabbed a kunai and threw it at Orochimaru. The hebi dodged it, but just as it passed by his head Naruto appeared beside him with his arm outstretched in front of the snake's face. Orochimaru's eyes went wide with the knowledge of the jutsu that had just been used.

Each and every person conscious gasped as Naruto's fist collided with Orochimaru's eye and sent both ninja flying in opposite directions.

A punch at nearly the speed of light into Orochimaru's face caused the snake's fake face to crack and he landed right next to the collapsed Kabuto.

Naruto was sent flying towards where Shizune was busy healing her lung. She barely caught him, but he was already unconscious by the time he landed. Tsunade had seen it all.

Orochimaru got up shakily.

"So… the brat really was his son… that clinches it. He must die. He could become a nuisance later." Orochimaru started to walk towards Naruto and Shizune. He was stopped, or rather started, by a fist from the side. It was thrown at a much slower speed then Naruto's, but with the force of tons of pressure. He was flung back into a boulder, cracking it in half.

Tsunade had stood up.

She was still covered in blood, but it didn't seem to matter anymore.

"Orochimaru… you bastard. That young boy… is going to be Hokage one day!"

"Hokage? Only a fool would be Hokage!"

"So what? I am a fool! A fool that chooses to believe in a boy who accomplishes the impossible daily. And I will continue to be a fool, and believe, as the Fifth Hokage of Konoha!" Tsunade charged again. Orochimaru, still dazed from the two hits, tried to dodge but still caught the punch in the side, breaking ribs. He would have flown backwards, but Tsunade grabbed his arm and punched him again, breaking his arm and some part of his skull.

Orochimaru was starting the realize that staying would not be beneficial to his plan of gaining immortality.

Orochimaru was punched out of her grip and landed next to Kabuto. He rose to a kneeling position.

"Tsunade, don't think that you will succeed as a Hokage. I will destroy Konoha… and you… and that boy over there…"

"You can try."

"Ku ku ku… alright… I will… until then, hime…" Orochimaru sunk into the ground, dragging Kabuto's limp body with him.

And, like that, he was gone.

* * *

AN: Slightly shorter then usual, but the next chapter is gonna be good. I am sorry for grammatical and spelling errors, I wanted to get this out asap.


	19. Love Lost and Found

AN: Welcome, once again, to Blind. I appreciate everyone reading and reviewing. I didn't get a lot of reviews for the last chapter… sad. But here is the net. Early because the last one was late.

One thing. Some guy… DoWnEr…

What the hell?

I don't care about profanity, really, I don't. But keep it down. God, you'd think your review should be rated M. And I haven't a clue what you were talking about. I reread chapters three and four, the subject of the review. He said not to show anyone the jutsu, meaning don't let anyone see the hand signs, how it is activated. Not to never use it or tell people about it. Kurenai NEEDED to know, as a teacher, that Hinata could see. That's the way it is. And, after the chunin exam, it doesn't matter anyway. Because the jutsu is Konoha property now, not Naruto's and the city has it, no one else.

Calm down on the rape and the fuck. It makes little sense.

Oh, it's a long one today. Bonus for the lucky ones who waited a whole extra week for an update.

* * *

Chapter 18: Love Lost and Found

* * *

In a lone hospital room in the ICU, lay a single Hyuga girl. She wasn't breathing at that moment, but that wasn't uncommon for her recently. She would hyperventilate in a few minutes, and then once again rely entirely on the respirator fit over her mouth. Her heart beat out its hectic and chaotic rhythm, sometimes stopping for seconds before going back to a rate much too high for a girl her age. Then it would flip itself off, like it was on a switch. 

If she was getting better, it wasn't noticeable.

Her injuries, scrapes and bruises, had healed weeks ago. It was no longer a case of whether she would survive from blood loss or other wounds. It never was. The problem was in her mind. Her brain was, in the simplest of terms, confused as to what was going on. It didn't know what to do. The chakra network around her brain had been overloaded with chakra and, even with the foreign chakra dispersing, it had altered the flow of her chakra through her brain and nothing the doctors did could change it back.

She was dieing very slowly.

Painlessly.

Helplessly.

No last words. No kiss good bye. No smile or final breath.

She would die without love, the worst possible death.

* * *

"Hiashi Hyuga!" 

The head of the Hyuga clan was sitting in his personal study, elegantly signing the paperwork caused by the invasion just over a month ago. His back was straight, his shoulders squared, his brush stroke precise and perfect.

"Hinata's heartbeat is fading! They think this… this might be it."  
His brush stalled. The ink soaked into the page, ruining the paper and those underneath it. It fell from his fingers, ruining the perfect writing. His head turned with the grace all Hyuga were expected to contain, staring at the medic who had decided to rudely interrupt him.

With uncharacteristic tears in his eyes.

_So Naruto will be too late?_

He stood and walked out the door, summoning Hanabi with a branch member. They would be there with Hinata… till the end.

_Why… Kami, why do you make me suffer so…_

_And Naruto…_

_Kami…_

_Kuso!

* * *

_

Shino Aburame had been with Hinata when the heart monitor had begun to do something it had not done before. The pulses, instead of just quitting or speeding up began to slow down and get weaker. It was a gradual change, one he barely became aware of. He had warned a passing doctor, and then he had been pushed out of the room.

They had never done that before.

She had never done that before.

It could only mean one thing… the worst thing that could happen.

A tear traced down Shino's face as he waited for the door to open again.

Where was Naruto?

_He will never forgive himself if he doesn't get back in time… and he is running out._

_Time is so cruel.

* * *

_

Minutes later Hinata's family, Shino, and Kurenai were standing together at her bedside. The bed that would soon not be one for rest, but eternal sleep.

A death bed.

"Otou-san… is she…"

"Hai."

They had all hoped. They had all desired for her to just one day sit up and be back to normal. Then Naruto had gone off to find Tsunade and they had placed their hope in him. They wanted him to get back in time… but that looked impossible now. Tsunade wasn't coming. Naruto wasn't here. And Hinata… wasn't going to be here much longer.

Minutes… not hours… seconds… not days.

_Why… why take someone so young because of a freak accident?_

_Hinata… doesn't deserve this. She deserves the happiness she gave me as my friend._

_Nee-sama… don't leave me now. I need to learn from you! I want to be like you! Don't…_

_You tried so hard… is this what hard work accomplishes? I can teach you, but not save you? Kuso… what is the point!_

_It's like Hinati all over again. Like part of my soul is being ripped from my heart as I stand here watching… unable to do anything. My daughter…_

_My teammate…_

_My sister…_

_My student…_

The heart monitor beeped slower and slower… softer and softer…

It was almost gone completely when everyone was startled by the door being slammed open at a speed that nearly ripped it from its hinges. Standing in the doorway was a tall, well endowed, blond woman who looked to be in her late twenties. Hiashi and Kurenai recognized her, though. Before they had a chance to talk, the woman was next to Hinata's bedside with her hands glowing green. Now one noticed as a second person walked into the room behind her… until he spoke.

"Why is everyone here?"

They all turned to face the second blond to enter the room. Each one had tears in their eyes, but they had gone from tears of despair to joy in an instant. Naruto Uzumaki, looking the same as ever despite a slightly torn wardrobe, stood with his arms behind his head, looking between the four people.

"Hey, Hiashi-sama, Shino, Kurenai-sensei, Hanabi-sama… what are you all doing here?"

"Naruto…" Hiashi finally broke down. In an instant he was on his knees embracing Naruto like the son he felt he was. Naruto was stunned. He didn't even put his arms down.

"Hiashi… sama?"

"Naruto… you… you came just in time… she was dieing…"

"You mean…"

"Another minute would have been it."

"Kami… I guess a hero really does show up in the nick of time." Naruto smiled at Hiashi, but then he glanced at Tsunade, who was hovering over Hinata.

The heart monitor was slowly growing back to a normal pulse. 

They all saw her breath on the respirator mask.

Hinata was still alive.

Tsunade stood up, having only worked for a minute before she was no longer needed.

"Kuso!" Tsunade punched a hole in the wall.

"Tsunade-hime?" Kurenai stared at the legendary sannin. Why would she curse? Hinata already looked a hundred times better.

"Oh, hello. Sorry about that." Tsunade turned to see the five others in the room and the sixth, Jiraiya, in the hall.

"Why…"

"Why did I just punch a hole in the wall? Well, probably because, despite the seriousness of this girl's problem, it was a simple thing to fix. To think that the medical staff has deteriorated this far in only a few years… it looks like I have my work cut out for me."

"So you have agreed to stay?" Hiashi smiled at the woman.

"No, I am being forced to stay. This brat here won a bet with me. Now I'm stuck as the Fifth Hokage until he proves he is good enough to be the Sixth."

"I thought I already proved that!"

"Punching a sannin is not proof that you are Hokage material."

"Whatever, did you see him fly?"

"Brat, you didn't even see him fly. You were unconscious!"

"I felt him fly, bachan!"

"Naruto, respect…"

Before Hiashi had the chance to reprimand Naruto, Naruto was no longer beside them. He had used his speed to get beside Hinata's bed, and everyone could see why.

Hinata was sitting up, and Naruto had her in his arms.

"N…Naruto-kun? Where am I?" Hinata looked like she was in a daze, and not just because she was waking from a month long sleep. It was, in part, due to the intimate closeness between herself and the boy with his arms around her. Her face, which had been pale for so long, finally had some color brought into it.

"Hinata-chan… you're… I…"

"Oh… Naruto-kun… did you win?"

"Win? Win what?"

"The chunin exams, of course."

"Win… the chunin exam? I… kinda? There's a lot to explain."

"You bet there is." It was Tsunade who spoke now. "And you better start by telling me exactly how Hinata here lost her eyes, something you didn't tell me at all before now."

"Who… who are you… ma'am?"

"She's the one who healed you. She's the new Hokage."

"New… Hokage? What happened to the Third?"

"You've been out for a long time… a month now."

"A… month?"

"Hai… but it was only hours after you were knocked out when sound invaded. We kicked them out, but the old man died. And you… you were…"

"The brat means you were dieing, so he came for me. I was chosen to be the Fifth, and I also happen to be the only one affiliated with Konoha with any medical experience, obviously…"

"Naruto-kun isn't a brat! … gomen, Hokage-sama." Hinata's voice cracked as she tried to raise her voice in volume. Her throat was parched. They had made her swallow water daily so her throat didn't become completely dry, but most liquid came from an IV.

"Call me, Tsunade. And he is too a brat."

"That doesn't matter. Hinata… when Neji hit you he messed with my jutsu on your head…"

"I was wondering about that… how the hell did you wind up like that, anyway?"

"Naruto-kun… made a jutsu to make me see…"

"He did?"

"Hai… and my cousin disrupted it and I refused to release it… so it made me pass out…"

"It did more then that, daughter. You have been in a coma for a month. You were… very close to dieing."

"I… was?"

"… H… Hai…"

"I… see…"

"But, once again, Naruto here came just in time."

Tsunade was still confused, even more so then Hinata was. "Wait, wait, wait! So the brat here actually made a jutsu that could give sight to the blind? No wonder your brain was so confusing. It looked to me like you were actually overdeveloping your visual sensory part of the brain, which shouldn't have been possible for a blind person. In fact, your brain resembles that of a powerful Hyuga or Uchiha more then anything else. So… what happened to your eyes? I assume you lose them a few years ago?"

"No… when I was three."

"Not possible. I am an expert medic and the way your brain has developed shows me that it is impossible for you brain to be that way unless you have been able to see for a long time. When did Naruto make this jutsu?"

"A few months ago."

"And you expect me to believe this girl was blind for nine years before you gave her sight a few months ago, and her brain is like it is now? It isn't possible. If that were true, then within a year from now Hinata would be able to see as well as if she had sharingan. The brain doesn't work like that."

"It's the truth, Tsunade-sama." Hiashi spoke up. "Hinata had her eyes stolen when she was three. She was able to see just before the most recent genin exam. Those are the facts."

"Then I am going to have to see this jutsu in action."

"Fine. When Hinata is rested."

"No, now."

"No, Hinata-chan needs to rest."

"Brat, she was resting for a month."

"No, that wasn't rest, bachan!"

"Tsunade-hime…" It was Jiraiya from the hallway. "… you need to meet with the counsel. And also, Hatake Kakashi is in here with severe mental trauma. It would probably be best to let her rest while we do the things that are needed now. There will be plenty of time once you are Hokage to order the youth around."  
Tsunade frowned, but nodded.

"Very well. You two get some rest. Naruto ran us back here so he's probably exhausted."

"Nope, just cause you're an old lady and get tired easily doesn't mean I am."

"I said SLEEP, DAMN IT!" Tsunade pounded him into the floor, where he went through two floors of empty rooms before landing in the basement unconscious.

"Tsunade-sama, was it necessary to injure Naruto like that?"

"No, but it makes me feel better. And besides, it's more like playful brother-sister fighting then anything."

Shino's eye twitched.

Thank Kami he had no siblings.

* * *

Naruto woke up in a hospital bed. He wasn't injured badly from the punch, but that was probably due to the fox. He tried to sit up but couldn't move his arms. He couldn't move at all. It felt like someone had tied restraints around his body and arms, pinning them to his sides. His legs had little movement, only enough to show him that they still were attached to his body. 

Naruto was about to actually put strength into breaking his bonds when he looked down to see what they were made of.

Arms.

Two very thin, very delicate arms were rapped around his body tightly. That was why he couldn't move his arms. By the way the covers of the bed looked, it was possible a set of legs was what was keeping his own legs still. It would have been embarrassing for Naruto if he had even started to comprehend what was happening. But before he had the chance to think, move, speak, or act in any way except to realize who exactly he was likely in the arms of…

The hands of the arms found their way under his shirt and onto his stomach.

The skin of who he desperately feared and wanted to be Hinata was flat against his own. Her hands brushed against his abs in a way…

Naruto was the victim of a biological instant knockout weapon.

Hinata would wake up minutes later and fall victim to the exact same problem.

It was only after they each passed out five times after waking in each other's five times that Hiashi Hyuga and Yuhi Kurenai, who had found the whole thing very humorous, pulled Naruto out of the bed and into a chair.

Naruto couldn't look at Hinata without blushing deep red for the rest of the day. And every time Naruto spoke, if he was too close to her Hinata would pass out.

Just like nothing had ever changed.

* * *

The great slug sannin Tsunade took her place as Hokage that very evening, and a festival was planned for the next day to announce to the ninja and city her place. 

A festival… a month after an invasion.

Some, mainly the uptight elders on the clans' counsels, thought it was foolhardy to be celebrating at a time like this. But most, including the newly appointed Hokage, felt moral and the way things looked from the outside of the city would be improved by it. There would be dancing and games and food and sake… for those old enough. The Hokage even refrained from sending many people on missions that day, unless it was a D rank to help set up the festival.

That night promised to be a relaxing time for ninja and civilian alike. And no civilian or ninja had more to celebrate then Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga. Naruto had woken up that day with the knowledge that both him and Hinata had been excused from missions for the day.

Naruto, because he was the cause for the celebration in a way.

Hinata, because she wasn't fully recovered from being unconscious for a month.

Naruto smiled with the knowledge that today was the day he finally fulfilled one of his more recent promises to Hinata.

He was going to ask Hinata out on a date. Not as friends, or teammates.

But as…

_Hey, fox?_

_**What… it's to early for an interrogation…**_

_What's more important then friends, but less then… like… married?_

_**What are you talking about? Shut up and go back to sleep.**_

_No, I want to ask Hinata on a date._

_**More then friend, less then lover… but you lover her, so that would make you lovers, wouldn't it?**_

_NOT IN THAT WAY! BAKA!  
__**Oh… I get it. Not up to the mating part yet, are we?  
**__Wha… MATING? AUGH!_

_**What? You know what it is, right? Hiashi gave you the 'talk', right? Or shall I give it?**_

_NO!_

_**Yes? Ok, then. Well, when a fox meets a vixen…**_

_Shutupshutupshutupshutup…_

_**Well, if that's the case I can't help.**_

_I didn't want your help! I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT I WAS ASKING!_

_**Good, go to sleep.**_

_KUSO!_

Naruto decided to start the day off with a shower.

Sadly, Tsunade had banned Hinata from using chakra for a while, as she still wanted to observe the jutsu in action the first time it was used after she woke. Hinata, therefore, was walking blindly down the hall towards the shower as well. Naruto, completely forgetting he fact he lived in the same house as the girl he loved, walked out of the door to his room with only a towel around his waste.

And right into Hinata.

It was destiny that Naruto would fall on top of Hinata, just as it was destiny that Hinata would not be able to see when Naruto found himself, for the second time in as many days, in a compromising position.

He thanked Kami the towel was still around his waste… until Hinata tried to reach up to see who was on top of her.

And her hands came into contact with his sides where they decided to torture Naruto by rubbing themselves along his body towards his shoulders and eventually to his head.

Then she felt his hair.

"N…Naruto-kun? Wha…"

Naruto didn't answer. His higher mental processes had shut down the moment her hands had come in contact with him. With all of the speed and skill of a trained shinobi, Naruto was in a bathroom on the other side of the clan house…

Taking a very very cold shower.

_**That was great, kit! And I thought you didn't have it in you…**_

_SHUT… UP…_

Naruto's morning couldn't have gone worse… or better… at the same time.

Damn, life is confusing.

* * *

Hinata had been tackled to the ground by Naruto for an unknown reason and she was very much determined to find out. 

_Naruto-kun… are you mad at me? Do you blame me for… for losing? Does he hate me for being weak now…_

_Why tackle me and then not say a word for seconds until I found out it was you? That was so… wonderful…_

_No, bad thoughts!_

_But… he didn't have a shirt on… did he have pants on?_

_BAD!_

_I've been out of it for a month… did he change? What was he doing all month? And why… why won't anyone tell me what happened while I was out!_

_What were the results of the chunin exams? Did Naruto make it?_

_What happened in the invasion?_

_What happened in the month Naruto was away finding Tsunade?_

_And why was it so hard to find the shower?_

Hinata found the shower only a few seconds later, tracing the wall for a door with her hands. She took a nice, long shower. She hadn't been up long enough to take one the last night and a month of sweat and body odor was still covering her body. She let the water pour over her body, cleansing her of the remaining reminder of her sickness. Now, if only she was able to wash the fog away from the past month as easily.

At least there was going to be a festival. The first in a long time.

_I hope… I wish Naruto would ask me to go with him! Or even ask me to join him with Shino… or Sasuke… or even Kiba! I just want to be close to Naruto._

Hinata stopped washing her hair. She didn't realize exactly what she had thought until she had finished thinking it.

_Why?_

_Why do I want to be close to Naruto? Just to figure out what happened while I was away? Just to feel that… warm… smooth… skin… again…_

_No… not that…_

_Or… not just that…_

_I love Naruto. I want him to love me. I want to be close to him because he makes me feel safe and strong._

_Kami… I have it bad._

Hinata smiled to herself as she hummed in the shower. It felt good to admit it… if only to herself. And every time she did, it made her stomach do flips and her heart skip a few beats.

Not in a bad way, either.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata met up with Hiashi at breakfast and, surprisingly, the new Fifth Hokage. As they ate, Naruto while looking in the opposite direction from Hinata, Tsunade talked with Naruto about the jutsu Hinata had been using. She also asked him about the one the ANBU teams had told her about during her briefing the previous night. Naruto had answered all her questions on both jutsus, knowing the one Hinata was using could be used for other blind people as well if Tsunade got a hold of it. And, hopefully, Tsunade would have an idea on how to make sure it never happened again. The one the ANBU used, and would soon be used by all of Konoha, was not owned by him anymore, so he answered every question she had on that as well. 

Jiraiya had shown up sometime during the interrogation and listened in on the explanations.

It truly astounded the sannin.

Naruto told them the story of Hinata losing her eyes. Jiraiya, unnoticed by Naruto but not by Hiashi, narrowed his eyes at the mention of the stolen Byakugan. Hiashi vowed to grill him about it later.

Naruto told them about the first tests of his prototype jutsu, and how it gradually became the two his team used, Hinata's sight and the team thought sharing jutsu.

Hinata had surprised them all, especially Hiashi, with the description of what had been happening the last times she had used the jutsu. How she had begun to see chakra presences in a way similar to the Byakugan. Tsunade wasn't surprised at that, but by everything else in the story.

"Naruto, I think there is something about our own jutsu you don't understand."

"Huh? What is it?"

"It is… how do I say this… too… simple?"

"Too simple? You think it is too simple to transfer sights with chakra into the mind?"

"No, that is complex… as I said, the jutsu is incredible. It could be used in so many ways it isn't even funny… it is more amazing then anything… What I mean is it takes sight and puts it directly into the brain through the chakra network. Even normal sight must go through nerves and electrical connections between cells, none of which you probably understand. But the important thing is… there is no resistance in the chakra network compared to the nervous system. Hinata is seeing exactly what the chakra senses, and that is why it effected her so much. The chakra this Neji character shoved into the jutsu was also read and overloaded the sensory part of her brain, and eventually her entire brain. To prevent this from happening again Hinata can do two things. Never go against an opponent who uses chakra attacks like a Hyuga, or find a way to alter the jutsu so foreign chakra does not get sent to the brain through the headband's forehead protector."

"I see… kinda…" Naruto was scratching his head and looking at Hinata. He did that for at least two seconds before he seemed to remember something, blush, and face the opposite wall again. Hinata's feelings might have been hurt if she had had the jutsu activated.

As it was, the adults found it funny.

"So, I need to alter the jutsu… I can do that. Give me… two hours."

The adults stopped snickering.

"You think you can make the new jutsu in… two hours?"

"Sure, if I can master the rasengan in a month and make this jutsu in a few years, I can obviously take the jutsu I personally made and tweak it a little."

Hiashi spat out his drink.

"Naruto… you _mastered_ the _rasengan_? In a _month_?"

"Yeah, won a bet off it too. Tsunade here wasn't even gonna come back unless I did it in a week. I had already been working for three weeks, so that made it a month when I used it on Orochimaru's little bastard spy."

Hiashi spat out the drink he had once again begun to drink. Hinata was staring in Naruto's general direction. Both sannin just smiled. He talked about it like it was a common day thing to fight the top of the list of Konoha's most wanted.

"YOU FOUGHT OROCHIMARU'S SPY?"

"Yeah, creamed him with a rasengan. I can't wait to show you…" Naruto had looked back at Hinata, but remembered again and looked at the wall. "… it, Hinata. I totally took a kunai in my hand and then held him there as my kage bunshin formed it in my hand, then I took him out. Then Orochimaru decided to show up and I used Hiraishin to punch him into a rock."

Hiashi was no longer staring at Naruto, but at the sannin. They both nodded, confirming to Hiashi that what Naruto had said was true. The son of the Fourth had used the Fourth's signature technique against Orochimaru… and had hit him. Hard.

"Naruto-kun, it sounds dangerous! But… who is Orochimaru?"

"He's the bastard…"

"Naruto."

"He's the baka who killed the old man."

"And you… had to fight him? Why?"

"Because I had to save the old lady."

"Naruto… you may have won a bet with me… and you might remind me of my brother… but if you call me an old lady again… you are going to regret it."

"Whatever. So, Tsunade wouldn't come back to heal you unless I mastered the rasengan. So I did. She also gave me this fancy necklace."

Hiashi was getting very tired of these revelations. First, the toad hermit had taken Naruto to a sannin fight. Second, the Hokage didn't come back until she lost a bet to a kid. Third, she gave Naruto a cursed necklace.

"Naruto, you know that necklace is…"

"Cursed? Yeah, Shizune-nee-sama told me. But it's supposed to let someone destined to be Hokage wear it. I'm not dead yet."

"Shizune… nee-sama?"

"She's Tsunade-bachan's assistant."

Tsunade's eye twitched.

"Tsunade-sama… why didn't you come back?"

"Too many bad memories. And Naruto reminded me too much of a few of them. But he said something that changed my mind… even before he won the bet. He said he would do anything to help you, Hinata, get better. You want to know why?"

Naruto was now blushing and trying to wave Tsunade down, knowing Hinata couldn't see. Hiashi and Jiraiya found it highly amusing, and Tsunade had found the perfect way to get leverage on Naruto to not call her 'old lady' or 'bachan' anymore.

"Ano…if Naruto-kun… wants to… t…tell me… he will…" Hinata desperately hoped it was what it sounded like.

"Sure, I'll keep it to myself… as a favor to you… and Naruto." Tsunade gave a sly smile.

The only problem with her plan was that Naruto was not a master in subtlety and had no idea what she had in mind.

"Thanks bachan! You're the best!" Naruto ran up and hugged her, relieved beyond mention that she had agreed to keep his secret. Even if it was a promise meant to be black mail.

Naruto's ignorance came in handy sometimes.

It was too bad for Tsunade that he reminded her so much of her brother. She couldn't bring herself to separate from the boy's hug. It was Jiraiya who finally broke the silence.

"So… Hinata. You were going to show us the jutsu, just to get a first hand impression."

"Oh! Hai." Hinata place her forehead protector over her eyes. Shino had had a new one made during her month from the living. Her old one had been worn down and nearly broken from the kaiten it had taken. Chakra channeling metal was much softer and weaker then the regular steel of most forehead protectors.

She did a few hand signs.

And all at once, for the first time in what felt like a long time, Hinata was whole again. She saw Naruto again, slightly more fit then he had been a month ago. She saw, for the first time, Jiraiya and Tsunade. She was surprised to find what appeared to be a young lady in the place of the Hokage, especially when Naruto referred to her as 'bachan'. She would have cried… if she had been able to.

"Ano… Tsunade-sama… you don't look… old."

"Thank you."

"Don't let her fool you. That's a complex genjutsu, she's my age." Hinata was surprised, but not as surprised as Jiraiya was when he found himself flying through a newly made hole in the ceiling. Apparently, along with being touchy about her age and an expert medic, the Fifth Hokage was also incredibly strong.

"Hokage-sama, next time… please do not create new entrances to my home."

"Oh… sorry, Hiashi-sama. Well, all I can say is stay out of trouble you two. Enjoy the festivities."

"We will, bachan!"

"Naruto… I don't think she likes being called that."

"No?"

"No." Tsunade was standing behind him cracking her knuckles. Naruto barely had a chance to turn before he found himself flying through the same hole Jiraiya had just made.

Hinata gasped in surprise before frowning at the Hokage.

"Tsunade-sama, that wasn't nice!"

"Hinata, he isn't dead. And neither are you. So find him and take him out tonight." Tsunade winked at the girl, causing her to blush. Hiashi just sighed. He would need to wait until the next day to get his dining room roof fixed.

Hinata stood up, bowed to her father and the Hokage, and then left in the general direction the flying Naruto had went.

* * *

When Naruto landed, he found himself in the place he least expected to ever land. 

The training grounds of Sasuke Uchiha.

Naruto managed to stand up with a groan, and as the dust cleared he saw that he was the target for two people. Each held about ten throwing weapons ready to impale him at a moments notice.

"Whoa! It's just me!"

"The dobe?"

"Uzumaki-san?"

Naruto recognized the first one as Sasuke. Despite being targeted, he was actually happy to meet him after the chunin exams. He hadn't known what had happened to any of his friends… or rivals… because he had been so worried about Hinata. He was glad to see him safe.

The second one was the one who surprised him, shocked him, and angered him.

He didn't remember her name, but her face was the third and last member of team Gai, Neji's team.

He still needed to get that guy.

"You!" Naruto pointed at her. She took a step back, not knowing what to expect. Sasuke, to Naruto's surprise, took a step towards her. As if… to… protect her?

Nope, definitely not.

"You're on Neji Hyuga's team!"

"You're Naruto Uzumaki, the one who beat him. Good job."

"Huh?" the girl had said it with such sincerity. 'Good job'. Like she meant it. "You… you're happy I beat him?"

"Ano… actually… Hai."

"Why? Why not try to stick up for the teme?"

"Because he's a teme! I saw what he did to the Hyuga girl! I saw him after your fight with him. Somehow… he knew it would do that to her… he knew it would… it would…"

"She isn't dead."

"She isn't? That's great!"

Naruto smiled. The girl actually cared about Hinata, even though she didn't remember the name of her. And she agreed with him. Neji was a bastard. Sasuke, who had just witnessed the conversation, stepped in.

"Dobe, where've you been for the last month?"

"Well, Sasuke-teme, I was out looking for the only person in the world who could heal her."

"You… YOU BROUGHT BACK TSUNADE-SAMA!" Both Naruto and Sasuke were both taken aback by Ten-ten's outburst. She was instantly at his side.

"What is she like? Was she as powerful as they say? Is she here still? Where is she? Does she have an apprentice? ANSWER, WHY DON'T CHA?"

"Whoa, calm down. Who are you, again?"

"Ten-ten, Kami can't people remember my name, it isn't exactly common!"

"Alright, Ten-ten. She's here in the city, she'll be at the festival tonight."

"SASUKE, YOU ARE TAKING ME TO THE FESTIVAL!" Naruto stared bug eyed at the girl who, one second ago, had had him by the throat. Now she had Sasuke against a tree, three inches from the ground.

"Yes, ma'am." They had been going to train through the festival, but those plans were canceled and he had nothing else to do.

She probably didn't even know what she had just said.

But, then again… her slight blush said otherwise.

"Whoa…" Naruto just stared. Sasuke cleared his throat and Ten-ten set him down.

"Hey, Naruto… dobe, want to have a sparing match?"

Naruto smiled. That was exactly what he had wanted the moment he saw the Uchiha.

"You know it. Tomorrow."

"Here."

"Noon."

"No, three."

"Why three?"

"Ten-ten and I eat lunch at noon."

"Um… ok?"

"Three, here, tomorrow."

"Sounds good." Naruto smiled at him, but his smile turned into one of surprise and then one of laughter as he saw someone come out of the bushes behind them.

Jiraiya had, apparently, been punched a lot harder then Naruto had. He was covered in leafs and twigs. Ten-ten turned around, punched Naruto in the face, and rushed to Jiraiya's side.

"You baka, Naruto-san! This is Jiraiya, the legendary sannin! Don't laugh! He looks injured!"

"Ten-ten, don't get so close!" Naruto tried to warm her.

Jiraiya found out that day that it was never wise to caress the ass of the first girl you see in the fuzzy blur left from Tsunade's punches. He found out as he was pinned to a tree to use for target practice. Ten-ten had perfect aim, and she neatly pinned every inch of fabric she could to the tree behind Jiraiya with shurikin, kunai, senbon, and one fuma shurikin, missing his most precious possessions by centimeters.

It was a good thing she had perfect aim.

Even Sasuke was impressed. Very, very afraid, but impressed. Naruto, when Ten-ten had finished, was gone.

* * *

Naruto panted as if he had run a marathon. He had, in fact, run back towards the Hyuga manor as fast as he could. On the way he had found Hinata running towards him and, not desiring to stop, threw her onto his back and continued running. He had finally stopped running when he had arrived at the team eight training grounds. He let her climb down from his back as he panted for air. The entire run had taken half a minute. Much faster then most ninja could do at top speed. Surprisingly, Rock Lee had appeared next to him with a boulder on his back. 

"I will not lose," was all he said and then, with a thumbs up and a shining smile, he sprinted off faster then even Naruto. Naruto couldn't even comprehend how he had kept holding the boulder while doing the thumbs up…

Weird.

But now, finally, he was alone with Hinata. The first time in so long Naruto felt like it had been a lifetime.

"Hinata-chan… how are you feeling." She smiled at him with a small blush, ever so cute.

"I'm fine, Naruto-kun."

"That's great!"

Silence.

Awkward silence.

"Um… Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah Hinata-chan?"

"Are you ok?"

"Never better, why'd you ask?"

"Because you're all red…"

Naruto noticed that he was blushing. He just couldn't take his eyes off of Hinata. Without her usual training attire she was wearing a plain white kimono.

Something so plain… but Naruto knew he could never look at her as he had done before afterwards.

"I… ano… I… was just thinking."

"What about?"

_You._

"Nothing much."

_Just how pretty you look._

"Oh."

Silence.

They were both sitting against a training log, so close and yet… not nearly close enough for Hinata's feelings.

"Hinata-chan?"

"Hai, Naruto-kun?"

"Are you going to go to the festival?"

"I… don't know. Maybe."

"Well, you see… I was thinking of going and… well… I promised you after the prelims that I would take you to Ichirakus… but I figured… you know… this might be fun too?" He ended his statement with a question mark, as if thinking she would reject it and turn him down. Hinata, on the other hand, was glad Naruto was looking away for whatever reason. She had started blushing the moment he had asked her about the festival. She didn't know that Naruto had done the same.

"I… I… go… festival…" For a moment Hinata wondered if he mind was on the fritz again, but knew that it was Naruto, not chakra, that made her shake this way. "I… Hai, I would lo… love to go to the festival with you, Naruto-kun."

"Really?"

"Hai."

"That's… great! Ok! I'll… um… see you at… your room then, ok? At, um... five?"

"Hai."

Naruto jumped to his feet. He couldn't stay still any longer. He felt like training.

"Hinata-chan, do you want to see the rasengan?"

"I would lo… love to see it, Naruto-kun."

And so Naruto showed her, and she naturally thought it was the most beautiful attack jutsu ever.

Because it was Naruto using it.

AN: I really enjoyed getting back to the peaceful time of Konoha. It is much easier for me to write calm then it is to write battle. Next time, THE DATE!

Oh, and...

by the way...

PAST THE 100K mark!

I surprised myself, wasn't even expecting to pass it. AND WE AIN'T DONE YET! Not by a long shot. Thanks for everyone who has joined me on this marvelous journey from the begining. I would go back and list you all, but it would take time.

I am so lazy.

Except I wrote this, a 6.5K chapter. So I am not lazy.

Or am I?

Oh well.

THANKS AGAIN!


	20. The Festival

AN: I know I am updating at a furious rate on Blind. Probably because I want to finish it in a few weeks. Before Christmas. I will work hard on it. You don't know how much I appreciate all the reviews I get. It just makes my day to see people appreciate something I do. Even those little notes of 'good' make me feel 'good'.

So here is the next installment in Blind. And the first step I take away from any canon sources.

This is where I go crazy.

Yosh.

* * *

Chapter 19: The Festival

* * *

The night of the Konoha Hokage Festival had come. The day, passing slowly for some and quickly for others, had begun to come to a close. The sun had begun to set, but twilight was not yet upon the city. The sun still bathed the city in its light, allowing the people of Konoha to come to the festival before night fell and the party really began. Many ninja were seen casually walking in groups or alone towards the festival's main area. 

Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino had come together, though most likely Ino would break off at the first sign of a cute boy. Shikamaru and Choji didn't mind. That was Ino, their friend. And, to tell the truth, they each thought it much less troublesome together without her nagging Shikamaru about games and Choji about food. But, despite the fact that they were destined to part company that night, they had come together. Team Ino-Shika-Cho was the tightest knit team in Konoha, except, argueably, team 8. They would go together and leave together. It was what friends did.

Another odd group was seen waltzing to the festival. Kiba and his dog, Akamaru, had changed a lot over the past few months. Since Kiba's defeat at Naruto's hands he had changed his outlook on others. He would never underestimate another person again. And not only that, he had begun to respect others as well.

So he decided to let his petty affection for Hinata go.

It had been Akamaru, more then anyone, who had convinced him that the girl really liked Naruto… not him. Kiba had grown less like the loud and annoying kid he had once been and more like a calm shinobi should be. He decided to walk around the festival alone… alone, and with his best friend, Akamaru. If there was one thing he knew, he did love his dog. Not in the same way he had liked Hinata, but they shared a bond no one else could be a part of.

Gaara and his siblings had been invited to the party. And, surprisingly, they had shown up. As official representatives of the tentative ally of Konoha, Suna, they were on a mission to speak with the new Hokage, whoever they be.

And Temari had somehow convinced her brother to come back.

Gaara walked through the crowds, and they gave him wide berth. He still carried an expressionless face, but if one looked into his eyes they would be able to see something that had only recently existed. Gaara was actually enjoying himself… without blood shed and despite the whispers.

It overjoyed both of his siblings. Also, all three of the Suna ninja were at the festival for a secondary goal. To thank the one who made it possible for Gaara to be like this.

Other ninja were also arriving as the time of the festival came closer. Surprisingly, Kakashi had been dragged from his recent recovery from the nightmare world of the Mangekyo by Kurenai to enjoy himself.

He hadn't even had a chance to grab his favorite book.

So Kurenai dragged him along, making sure he didn't have a chance to either leave and get his book or leave and go sleep.

She did this by constantly holding his hand.

Kakashi had never been less resisting to being separated from his book.

Another, slightly odder, pair was seen parading through the area. Iruka Umino and Anko Mitarashi had been seen multiple times before the festival even began, Anko with her arm in Iruka's, leaning on his shoulder.

The exact opposite of what one would have expected based on their personalities.

The truth was, with the death of the Third, Anko had truly lost everyone that she even considered close to family. The old man had been something of a father figure, or grandfather figure, to Anko. And… the one who had taught her how to live with the memories of her past. His death had hit Anko as hard as it had hit Azuma, the Hokage's son, or even Konohamaru.

But Iruka had been there. Anko had never cried or gone into a fit of rage due to the Hokage's death… but the emotions had been there. Iruka had shown up and offered a shoulder… and the emotions just disappeared. It was like she was an overloaded generator about to blow, but Iruka was there to absorb all she could give out… until she no longer needed to feel that way.

Anko knew, without a doubt, that meeting Iruka had been the best play fate had ever given her. The exact opposite of what she had been looking for turned out to be exactly what she had needed.

The strangest pair, but the one most expected, would arrive shortly after five. Right as the festivities were about to begin and the sun was in the middle of setting.

* * *

Naruto had freaked out. For a first date, Naruto knew absolutely nothing of what he should, would, or could do. All he knew was that he wasn't going to let Hinata pay for anything. After all, he was rich and she was his beautiful date. She shouldn't need to buy anything. 

He had been given three rules by Hiashi in the most frightening moment of his life. He was not to do any touching of Hinata except hand to hand. To do more would mean to have Naruto's hands removed. He would protector her with his life, to do otherwise would be to forfeit his own life to the counsel later. And the third rule, the one that made him almost vomit, was that if he had… sex with Hinata…

He would find out the hard and permanent way that a man's most prescious belongings were only to be used within a marriage contract.

Or not at all.

Or ever again.

It certainly didn't help his nervousness at all when Hiashi had told him that, only to turn his totally serious frown into a smile an instant later and say he had faith in Naruto.  
Naruto would flinch every time someone shuffled down the hall.

He was waiting outside the door to Hinata's room. It was common thing of the past. He had done it often.

But never with the intentions he had now.

_Damn… damn… damn… damn… damn…_

_**Kit, shut up.**_

_No._

_**I mean slow your heart beat, it's pounding so hard I can't sleep.**_

_Deal with it._

_**Do you really want me to try?**_

…_No._

_**Don't be so uptight. It's just a coming courtship ritual of humans. You just please her. It's the same for every race. Though, the methods of pleasing vary… in human courtship…**_

_I don't need any of those thoughts in my mind right now._

As it turned out, Naruto didn't have any more of those thoughts. He didn't have any coordinated thought for a while, as it turned out. Mainly because Hinata had opened the door. If he had checked a clock, it would have shown that she was two minutes early.

It wasn't her promptness that had struck Naruto dumb, but her looks. Naruto had seen her earlier that day in a plain white kimono that could have been used in battle if needed. Hinata did not look ready to go into battle now. She was wearing the most beautiful dress kimono he had ever seen. The fabric, silk, was a mixture of colors. The color was a blend of every shade of color from light blue to dark purple. The colors mixed perfectly to give the fabric the image of a swirling night sky. If it wasn't beautiful enough as it was, silver thread had been spun into it in the shape of gorgeous exotic flowers all over the gown. Orchids and lilies jumped out as the light played across the gown, showing nothing one instant and the next a silver flower almost glowing.

Like Hinata herself.

The tie around her waste was the same silver as the flowers, and the trim of her kimono was also the same fabric.

By the time Naruto was able to talk Hinata had blushed a deep shade of red, which, Naruto noticed, didn't go at all bad with the colors of the kimono.

"H…Hinata-chan. You look wo… wonderful… tonight."

"A… arigato, Naruto-kun."

Naruto couldn't risk saying any more or he might betray his feelings. And they were something he held very close. Instead, he offered his elbow to her.

Naruto was in his own kimono, a dress one that he had always had for important Hyuga dinners. It was solid black with a black sash. It contrasted so… perfectly… with Naruto's blond hair. Hinata wrapped her arm through his offered elbow and they walked out the door under the serious, but internally smiling, Hiashi Hyuga.

_See, Hinati. You once again prove how right you always were. You said that they would be perfect for each other before they were even born. If you can, look down from heaven and see our beautiful daughter in your gown. She reminds me so much of you.

* * *

_

Naruto and Hinata entered the festival area arm in arm to the surprise of some, the disappointment of some, mainly male ninja, and the anger of very few. Neither Hinata nor Naruto seemed to notice the stares they got, though. They were too busy stealing glances of the person on their arm. The sun was nearly set and Hinata's dress had changed again. The silver thread was now reflecting the suns rays, making Hinata glow with light. Complete strangers stopped and stared at the young beauty like they had seen a goddess.

Naruto felt the same way, but felt he was graced to be able to even touch the angel next to him.

Hinata Hyuga just walked with Naruto towards wherever he was heading. To tell the truth, neither truly knew where they were heading. Just that they were heading somewhere with a certain someone next to them. Hinata drew her courage for the fifth time that night and looked up at Naruto's face.

He had grown taller in the last month, if only slightly. He was now a few inches taller then her, causing her to need to look up into his eyes. She smiled at him, but before he noticed, her courage quit and she turned away with a blush.

How hard it was just to exist with the one she loved.

Naruto felt the same thing. He would glance at his date every so often as they just walked around, generally heading towards the great stage where he knew Tsunade would announce herself as Hokage. It was like staring at the sun. He could only take her beauty for so long before he had to advert his gave for fear of losing his sight. He was not worth her affections. It burned him to love her, knowing he didn't deserve a fraction of her grace. He knew he had been a fool to ask her on a date now. He had forgoten all of his past with her and how she obviously had feelings for him. She had decided to show everyone her true self, and he would never be worthy of it. He was one damn lucky bastard just to be near her. And so, for now, Naruto smiled.

The duo was noticed by many of their friends as they walked the still unopened stalls and food stands. They passed where there would soon be entertainment and fun, feeling nothing but love and joy. Their friends that spotted them stood back and didn't approach, not knowing what to think. Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru had been the first of the rookie nine to see the pair. Even Ino had been stunned into silence by Hinata's beauty and Naruto's joy. Choji and Shikamaru both managed a blush, though at what they couldn't tell. It wasn't merely Hinata, it was the connection the two had that made it special. Shikamaru would later label it as, "So close in spirit… it was like they weren't just a couple anymore. It was like I was watching them… become one or something… so troublesome." And then he would blush again at the memory.

Temari had found them just before the ceremony had started, and completely forgot to find Gaara to tell him where Naruto was. It was like Naruto wasn't even there. All Temari saw was Hinata and Naruto, a singular entity. She stared from a far as they both found a place on top of a stand to watch the announcement that was supposed to begin at the last setting of the sun. Temari just watched as they did nothing. They just sat holding hands and didn't even glance at each other except sparingly. But at the same time they were doing everything. Temari felt like she was watching someone have sex, that was how intimate it felt to her. So she crept away, unnoticed. Eventually she would remember to tell Gaara, but he would have to find them on his own. She would help, of course. She wouldn't give up another chance to see the two together. It had felt too good to her, even if she was distinctly not involved at all.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata both sat on the slanted roof of a food stand that was on the edge of the great open area that had been covered to be used as a dance floor and the main area of announcement. As the sun's last rays came over the horizon, the lanterns around the area all came on. The effect on Naruto was almost instantaneous. 

If looks could kill, Hinata was a mass murderer that night. The individual lanterns each gave off a different color of light. Each color played off the sliver lining of her kimono and made the flowers glow with all the colors of the rainbow. Hinata must not have known how she looked, because she made a quiet comment of how good Naruto looked.

"H…Hinata-chan? What was that?"

"I… I said… you look very nice tonight, Naruto-kun."

Hinata turned her head and blushed. Naruto just stared at her, not knowing how to reply. Should he just say she looked nice as well? Or should he tell her the truth, that the moon and the stars would bow down before her if they could in acknowledgment of her beauty. A beauty he had been so ignorant of until now.

Naruto couldn't get it out of his head.

He was the luckiest man alive. Even with a fox demon stuck in his stomach. Even if he was an orphan. Even when a sizable portion of the city hated his guts.

He was a lucky bastard.

And Naruto continued to smile.

"You look…"

"N… Naruto-kun?"

"Hinata-chan… if I could describe how you look right now… I would be a god."

"Naruto-kun?"

"The only way I can say it is… you're an angel, Hinata-chan. I bet there is not one man, woman, or child who would not trade places with me right now, just to sit closer to you. You look like every beautiful thing in the world could bow before you and admit defeat. You look like Kami decided to let heaven on earth exist… and it turned out it was you."  
"…ah?" Hinata was too stunned to blush or even think. She was staring at Naruto with her mouth ever so slightly open, just enough to show her shock. She had not expected that. She had expected maybe, hopefully, a 'you look pretty' or 'fine' or maybe a 'great'. But… Naruto had probably said the most moving thing she had ever heard before. Naruto turned to face her with a genuine smile on his face, one filled with peace and serenity.

"Hinata-chan. If I had to die right now… I would accept it, knowing I was able to see true beauty one time."

"N…N…Naruto-kun… t…that… that's the… n…ni…nicest thing… anyone… has ever… s…said to me… e…ever…"

"It was only the truth."

Before they were able to speak again the village counsel appeared on the large platform raised slightly above the floor. Jiraiya stood with them and, surprisingly, he held a few very interesting items.

Chunin vests.

"People of Konoha." Instantly the crowd grew silent. The head elder had spoken, and when he did that… people listened. "People of Konoha. This festival was called together to help us all relax in the face of our resent trials. But, more importantly, to announce the next in line as leader of our great village, hidden in the leafs. The counsel had decided a month ago on whom to choose, and the candidate has arrived yesterday. Please welcome our Fifth Hokage, the legendary medic and sannin, Tsunade-sama." The elder waved his hand towards the floor, where Tsunade had appeared wearing the traditional robe and hat of the Hokage. She removed the hat briefly and, with a smile, greeted the populace of Konoha.

Her entrance was greeted with the roaring applause of thousands of ninja and civilians. They cheered and clapped and whistled, most making sure to avoid cat calls. The few who had no previous experience with the slug sannin would learn eventually that it was best to leave her alone.

"People of Konoha! I am Tsunade, and I am pleased to be announced your Fifth Hokage."

Naruto snickered, which very few people seemed to notice. Tsunade, though, glanced at him and, with a look at Hinata, smiled.

"I am glad you all came to enjoy yourselves. So… do so. I'll get out of your way. But before I do, I have one thing to announce first." Tsunade motioned Jiraiya foreword. The few who recognized him smiled, knowing the two greatest ninja since the Forth had returned.

"Last night I reviewed the ill fated chunin exams with the counsel members and ninja involved and decided that we have a few people here who have been classified at chunin rank ability. They are to come forth and receive their new station and vest when called. I can see all of them from here, so make sure you come or I'll drag you up here."  
Naruto knew only one person who would need to be dragged up to receive his vest.

"Nara Shikamaru."

Applause followed his name being called. And Shikamaru, with a slight blush and a sigh and his hands in his pockets, walked out and shock Jiraiya's hand before receiving his vest. His teammates were cheering wildly for him, as were his teammates fathers. But they were completely drunk already, so they probably didn't even know what was going on.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru put on the vest. Jiraiya smiled.

"You bet it is troublesome, but Tsunade seems to think there is no better ninja to leave other ninjas with. She advances you to chunin knowing that you will be able to accomplish things with your mind that others couldn't imagine in their wildest dreams."

"Fine… but this is where I stop. I'm not going for jonin…"

"You say that now…"

"Yeah, I know… time changes things… whatever." Shikamaru gave a small smile as he walked off the stage with his hands in his new vest pockets.

"Shino Aburame."

Hinata and Naruto were instantly on their feet, cheering and clapping, or, in Hinata's case, just clapping. Shino appeared in front of Jiraiya, slightly startling him.

"You're the Aburame from the forest who is on Naruto's team."

"Hai."

"It is an honor, then, to give this to you."

"… There is one of more worth then I. One who deserves it more."

"Who says he will be left out? But don't hold me to it,_ I_ don't even know who the other two chunin are." He handed over the vest, Shino looked it over before placing it over his large coat. He glanced at his two friends, noticing that each was perfectly happy with him. Neither had a trace of jealousy.

Shino had been worried for nothing.

People saw him visibly relax before walking off the stage.

"The next two chunin might be a little… controversial. But, as Hokage, and after learning all of the facts… and getting permission from the village elder…" Naruto figured it must have been very controversial for her to go on and on about the permission she received and her right to do whatever it was. "…I have decided to give the rank of chunin… to the Suna ninja, Sabaku no Gaara."

Silence.

Gaara walked up on stage to absolute silence, most of the audience not understanding. Finally, a chunin called out.

"Hokage-sama! He devastated the city! He is a demon…" Gaara flinched. "…a monster…"

"ENOUGH!" Tsunade silenced the chunin instantly, and the entire crowd listened.

"Sabaku no Gaara is a jinchuriki, not a demon. And the demon that destroyed the village has been sealed most expertly, as I have heard. He is no more a monster then Orochimaru is human. Sabaku no Gaara holds an evil force at bay, and in the month since the sealing he has proven to many of my advisors that he is a true hero! His fighting skills, though used in the invasion for evil, are now used for good. And I will not hear of anyone calling a jinchuriki a demon again, it is not true. They are heroes holding the demons behind bar to keep you safe. If jinchuriki were truly demons, they would release their seals, which is entirely in their power, and let the true demons loose on the world again! AND HAS THAT HAPPENED?"

Gaara's face twisted upwards in a barely perceptible grin that defied everything Naruto remembered about him.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama."

"Gaara, no thanks is needed. It was something that needed to be said to this village."

Gaara accepted his vest with a deep bow to Jiraiya, who returned it, and another to Tsunade, who bowed even lower. Gaara was surprised. The new Hokage… would be a great one indeed.

He stepped off the platform and his sister and brother were waiting for him. They both smiled at him, knowing that the smile he now wore was not the insane grin he wore as he killed, but a new one he had not had on his face since his youth… before he grew old enough to realize the hate people had for him. And the fear.

It would take a long time. Years, perhaps, before his own village would see him as a changed man. But, like his new role model, who he had learned a lot about in the past month, he would prove to them his worth and gain their respect through kindness. Not hate and death.

Tsunade sighed. The village had managed a polite clap as Gaara had walked off the stage. After all, he wasn't from their village. It seemed some of her message had gotten through. But how much? Was it enough for her next statement?

"The last person to receive chunin status from the most recent chunin exams… actually proved himself thrice over in the exam. Once, against an incredible ninja from our own village, where he proved his ability in combat. Once, when he fought for the life of his friend and restrained himself from the killing blow of revenge, showing another quality Konoha needs in their chunin. And last, when he sacrificed the trust he had gained in this village to save the village itself, proving that he is willing to do anything to protect this village and its inhabitants, even at the cost of himself. If not for this ninja, I would not be standing before you as Hokage, nor would one of our young female ninjas here be alive. After the chunin exams, this ninja accomplished what I _still_ consider an impossible feat to save his friend. And if that is not enough to respect him, he, a genin, landed a damaging blow to Orochimaru, the one who killed the Third Hokage."

At this the crowd broke into whispers. How a genin could attack a sannin and actually get a hit off was beyond any of them, even the most experienced ninja. Only those who knew exactly who she was talking about and were close enough to him to know him understood. He _was_ capable of the impossible.

"Even his opponents came foreword during my review and begged that I make him a chunin, knowing he deserved it."  
Naruto, who had stopped believing his ears at the beginning, noticed Lee looking up at him with a smile. Naruto also noticed a person standing next to Lee looking at him as well. Neji Hyuga stood while looking towards both Naruto and Hinata.

With tears streaming down his face.

The look in his eyes was impossible to mistake for any other. It only said, "Forgive me."

And Naruto didn't know what to do.

"The ninja I speak of… is being honored today as he receives his chunin vest… not because he is a qualified chunin."

Many ninja looked confused. Tsunade smiled.

"He is, indeed, a qualified chunin. He is honored today like this because… without him there would be no festival. I wouldn't have returned to Konoha. He personally convinced me that fighting for what is right and true, for your friends and family, for love… is the true shinobi way."

Every ninja in the entire city listening nodded. That statement was what made Konoha strong. It was made Konoha a winner of wars. It was what made Konoha ninja so hard to kill.

They didn't live and fight for themselves, they lived and fought for their loved ones and their village.

Kakashi had a tear running from under his headband and into his mask.

_Those who disobey the rules are trash, those who abandon their comrades are less then trash._

"The ninja I speak of, in case you haven't guessed it, is none other then…" She looked over at Jiraiya. He nodded. "He is none other then the son of the Fourth Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto."

Silence.

Every eye in the area turned to Naruto, who was still sitting on the roof. Hinata sat next to him with the same look of shock that everyone else in the arena had on their faces. Naruto, himself, had the same look of shock.

Silence.

Every ninja had frozen at the mention of the Fourth. Kakashi stared, not wanting to believe it, but knowing, deep down, that it was true. He had ignored his sensei's son.

Silence.

_**It is true, kit. Sorry I didn't say it sooner.**_

Silence.

No one had any idea what was going through Naruto's mind. It seemed like hours before the first person even made a sound.

"Hey BOSS! Go get your vest!"

"Yeah, Boss!"

Everyone turned to see three small children, including Konohamaru, the Third's grandson. Still no one moved or made a sound.

"Naruto…" Shino had appeared next to him.

"DOBE!" Sasuke Uchiha stood next to an embarrassed Ten-ten. Embarrassed, because every eye was suddenly on both her and Sasuke.

"Don't you get it? You got chunin! You're one step closer to your goal! What are you doing? Go get it!"  
Silence.

Naruto's face was unreadable. It resembled Gaara's more then anything. It was emotionless and expressionless. His eyes were glazed over and he looked deep in thought. Then, suddenly, his eyes regained clarity.

_It all makes sense!_

Naruto started to smile. But it didn't stop there, it continued on until Naruto could barely see out of his eyes, he was smiling so much. Hinata saw this and smiled with him. She gave him a small nudge, and he looked at her. She just looked back with the same expression she always had around him. A shy smile and a slight blush.

"Naruto-kun, Sasuke was right. You did it."

Naruto just smiled back. He didn't think he would be able to talk if he tried. Tears were pooling in his eyes. He reached into his kunai pouch and pulled one of his special, tri pronged kunai. The older ninja gasped at this. Most had seen him use it in the chunin exam, but this would be the first time they saw the son of the Fourth use it.

He threw the kunai at Tsunade's feet. In a flash of yellow he was in front of the Hokage.

He couldn't think of anything to do. What does one do after having a speech made about them? Naruto had no idea. He was out of ideas.

So he bowed politely.

She bowed back.

He walked over to Jiraiya. Bowed.

He bowed and then handed him a green vest with a smirk.

"Don't let it go to your head. I still have much to teach you."

Naruto smiled back before he bowed once more to both Tsunade and Jiraiya. He picked his kunai up and threw it into the building's roof next to Hinata.

Before he had used the jutsu, though, Hinata had picked up the kunai and held it as far away from her body as she could. When Naruto returned to the roof top he appeared in Hinata's arms. But Hinata had misjudged the distance between his return point and herself.

Naruto had used Hiraishin directly into a kiss.

And neither Hinata nor Naruto could have cared less.

"Whoa! WAY… TO… GO…, BOSS!"

Konohamaru started clapping and whistling. Moegi and Udon joined in. Then Shino, then Sasuke, then Ten-ten, then Lee, and Sakura, and Kiba, and Ino, and Shikamaru, and Choji, and Neji. Kurenai, Kakashi, Gai. Jiraiya, Tsunade. Iruka, Anko. Gaara, Temari, Kankuro. Hiashi. The chief elder. The genin, the chunin, the jonin. The civilians, the ninja.

And Naruto was oblivious to it all as he found himself exactly where he wanted to be. They finally broke apart for lack of air to find next to everyone cheering for Naruto. He wiped tears from his eyes with his sleeve of his black kimono and gave a laugh. It lit Hinata's soul on fire. And he had still not released her from his embrace. Hinata could not cry in joy with Naruto, but should could do something much better.

Hinata put Naruto's vest on him as he stood. Then, she turned him around and knocked him flat on his back in another kiss. Hinata knew that, eventually, probably later that evening, she would probably go into cardiac arrest for the things she was doing. But right now… the only thing that mattered was that Naruto was kissing her back.

* * *

And so the festival went on. Late into the night the city of Konoha celebrated their new Hokage and their new chunin. Naruto and Hinata, after finally breaking apart, decided to walk around the shops. That was, of course, after Hinata passed out for a few minutes. Naruto didn't mind, and when she woke they walked around the shops and met people. Naruto finally had a talk with Gaara, and was happy to hear that he could sleep in peace. Gaara had led him off alone and had told Naruto the entire story of his life, and how Naruto had changed him. Now, his goal was identical to Naruto's. Protect the village you treasure and earn their respect. 

Naruto smiled, knowing he had already fulfilled part of his dream.

With Hinata at his side, he talked with almost every acquaintance he had ever had in Konoha and some who he had never met.

He met with Sasuke and Ten-ten, with Ten-ten winning stuffed animal after stuffed animal in a senbon throwing game. Sasuke looked ridiculous holding a mountain of animals in front of him. But when Naruto saw his face he was surprised by the lack of the stoic person he had once known. Sasuke looked happy. He had made a comment about beating him in the next exam and in the fight the next day, but Naruto just laughed. It was hard to take a guy carrying stuffed animals seriously.

They ran into Anko and Iruka, feasting at an all they could eat dango place. Needless to say, the owner of the stand had never counted on Anko. She was to dango what Naruto was to ramen. Its worst nightmare. They had been wandering around, just looking. Naruto had pulled out the story of Itachi Uchiha from them, finally understanding Sasuke, and glad that Sasuke had apparently chosen the right thing to do with his life.

Hinata was pulled aside by Sakura and Ino who had finally gotten the nerve up to interrupt the pair and ask Hinata where she got the gown. They were satisfied and disappointed to find that it had been Hinata's mother's and she had no idea where it had been made.

They walked with Shino for a while, but eventually Shino retired for the night complaining that the noise was disturbing his insects. Naruto and Hinata had merely smiled and wished him a good night. Shino shed a single tear as he left, praising Kami for friends who appreciated him for himself, even if he was a bit weird.

It was fate that they ran into Neji. People around them backed away, forming a circle around the three. But it was Neji who stepped foreword and knelt in front of the two, not asking for forgiveness, but just saying how sorry he was for his actions. He knew that they would probably never forgive him for his actions, but he had merely wanted to tell them he was sorry.

And Hinata had accepted it and forgiven him.

Both Naruto and Neji had stared at her, the blind Hyuga heiress, who had just forgiven a man who had tried, and nearly succeeded to kill her.

"Hinata-chan?"

"Naruto-kun, he is sorry. I can see that."  
Neji gave out a sob from his place on the ground.

"But… he tried… he almost…"

"Hai. But doesn't everyone deserve a second chance if they ask for it?"

"Well… if you say so, Hinata-chan."

They had helped Neji to his feet and, with tears of joy in his eyes, he left them together.

Naruto had never felt as good as he did that night in his entire life. He finally felt like he belonged. Like the city had been deciding whether or not to keep him or spit him out, and then it had finally accepted him. It was relief. It was joy. It was everything he had thought it would be when he became Hokage, but much earlier then he had ever though it would come to pass. Sometimes he had thought it would never come to pass.

Hinata, on the other hand, had never had such a wonderful night. It had started with a near poetic compliment from Naruto about her looks and, finally, had climaxed with Hinata's first official kiss... and her next. Hinata had never smiled or laughed as much as she did that night in all of her shy life. And she felt that it was only the beginning, like she would need to get used to being more social if she was to stand next to Naruto.

Naruto had even bought her a bracelet she had thought looked beautiful. It had cost a large amount of money, even with the ninja discount the manager gave them. But Naruto insisted. After he bought it he had told her the second most wonderful thing she had heard that evening.

"You know, wearing that won't make you look more beautiful. That's like saying a match could make the sun burn brighter."

Hinata was in love, and despite the problem she still had with passing out, Hinata had given him a kiss for that.

It was like life was perfect, like the only emotions were good ones, like love truly could conquer all.

Hinata and Naruto finished the night on the dance floor, joining the many couples that had decided to do the same. But when Hinata and Naruto began to dance, everyone around them turned to watch. A young couple, truly. A little over three years left until they could legally marry. But each and every person there saw the same thing.

Destiny.

But each and every one of them would learn…

Destiny… can be fought.

* * *

AN: I thought for about an hour about whether or not to reveal Naruto's heritage. No joke, I sat there and stared at the computer and thought. This story is not over, do not think it is! That was not an ending. Let's just say… life is going to get complicated very quickly for our two protagonists. 

Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	21. Out of Time

AN: I am very glad everyone enjoyed that last chapter.

SO HERE IS ANOTHER ONE

If you thought that was fluffy, …then this will be a giant pit of glass shards. Oh, and the fight at the beginning told in past tense? Yeah, it is who you think. But, like Itachi, they are unwanted characters that, unlike Itachi, are part of my plot line... leading to... the end... which isn't now. Or will be for a while.

* * *

Chapter 20: Out of Time

* * *

"Tsunade-bachan!"

"Brat, what is it?"

"Mission. Now."

Naruto Uzumaki stood with his hands on the Fifth Hokage's desk, a look on his face that spelt doom to his enemies and anger to his friends.

"Naruto, you have had a mission almost daily for the past three weeks you've been a chunin. You need a break."

"I don't need a break, bachan. I need something to do!"

"You want something to do? Fine, a D ranked mission is yours."

"D ranked?"

"Hai, you are ordered to go home, take a shower, and go to sleep!"

Naruto and his team had been going on serious missions for weeks. Every day they weren't on a mission, Naruto would come in and demand one, saying his team could do it.

And they did.

They were the only team of ninja with two chunin and a high level genin. They, like team Gai, were in high demand for the upper level C and lower B missions.

But today was different.

Naruto was angry and she knew why. Naruto didn't seem to understand that he couldn't go on a mission today.

He was the only member of his team capable of standing and he was not up to it mentally.

Shino and Hinata had been wounded in the last mission. They had been sent to spy on Sound, normally an A ranked mission. But Tsunade had lowered it to a B when they had been joined by team 7.

What a disaster.

Tsunade still remembered Naruto coming in with Shino on his back and Hinata and Sakura on a stretcher behind him. Sasuke followed him with Kiba on his back, neither half awake.

No fatalities, no mortal wounds.

Apparently Naruto and Shino had been leading the way and were close to the city when a few sound ninja had jumped them. Sakura had twisted her knee badly in a wire trap right from the start, nearly breaking her leg in a very painful way. Shino and Naruto had proven themselves, according to the reports of everyone but themselves, to be leaders. Shino had almost completely drained one of the ninja of their chakra before he was trapped in a prison of mud from behind. He came back to Konoha almost completely drained of chakra. He would have been fine, but he had fed his insects his extra chakra to keep them alive, draining him faster. So, while he was unconscious and would be for days, his insects were fine and causing some nurses to curse their luck at having him on their check up list.

Sasuke and Kiba had teamed up on another, which turned out to be very good when the one ninja turned out to actually be two with a body sharing jutsu. Both had fought to the point of exhaustion and, finally, Sasuke took them down with a misplaced chidori. Aiming for the body, but they misread him and ducked. He took both heads in one go, burning the wounds shut and causing their heads to vanish into particles. Kiba had apparently wounded himself in the battle, and his dog had a minor concussion, but both would be fine.

Naruto had fought and killed a genjutsu mistress with his rasengan, surprising her at the beginning of the battle with his speed and the power of the jutsu. He had then gone after the one trapping Shino, finishing him slightly slower due to the surprising speed and power of the man. He had finally finished him with another rasengan, this one to his chest as Naruto sat on his stomach.

The most injured of the six had been Hinata, but she had taken one by herself, because her partner had been taken down by the wire trap. She had taken her opponent down, but not before she suffered multiple stab wounds from odd metal weapons the ninja produced from his mouth. She had taken one only inches from her heart, but, once again, survived with a surprising miracle. She had destroyed the ninja when he tried to defend by coating himself in the strange metal. Her taijutsu style didn't break the armor, but it broke most of the bones in his arms and all of his ribs, as well as bruising muscles and ripping tendons.

Sometimes Tsunade had no idea if the girl even knew what she was doing to her opponents bodies.

Naruto had seen Hinata take the last one down himself, but only from the back. He would have been dead if he had seen her from the front, with the hideous metal weapons sticking out of her. He would have rushed to her, to help her in any way he could.

But because he didn't, he was still on guard. And he barely managed to block a sword aimed at his spine.

The last sound ninja, the fifth, attacked him with speed rivaling Rock Lee's speed, but Naruto showed his own speed, according to Sasuke, and pretty much fought to guy to a stand still. The ninja had some weird blood line involving his bones and Naruto basically impaled his fists, multiple times, on his ribs.

But Naruto didn't give up. If he couldn't break the guy's bones, he would tear him up in other ways.

Sasuke's report went in depth into the fight in a way only a ninja could. Naruto's feet and fists had holes in them when the fight was done, but the albino man didn't have one muscle that could move his bones of steel. Then Naruto made a stretcher, placed Sakura on it, then commanded Sakura to make sure Hinata was safe, picked up Shino, had Sasuke do the same with Kiba, and they left.

But not without the information they needed.

Their mission, though none of them would ever know it, had been to get Orochimaru's best guards out of the city. And they had succeeded. Jiraiya had been able to sneak into the city and find the information he needed. They had, unknowingly, discovered that what Tsunade had expected had come true. There were more people with curse seals, and they knew how to use them.

It was not what they had expected, and definitely not what they wanted. But that news paled in comparison to the other news.

Orochimaru had left Sound.

And now Naruto wanted a new mission.

Not because he really desired to go out on a mission…

But because Hinata had told him to go do something besides sit beside her and mope.

"Bachan! I need a mission! A REAL ONE!"

"Naruto, what you need is to calm down and realize that not one person died on that mission!"

"That has nothing…"

"You know damn well it does! For the past day and a half you haven't slept or bathed because you have been wandering the halls of the hospital visiting you teammates. For a day and a half!"

"I let them down."

"No, your sulking. You're letting them down. Look, here are your teammates reports I gathered from them while they weren't being harassed by you. 'Naruto took charge, he knew what to do'. 'Naruto seemed to know exactly what to do with each enemy, and exactly who to go after first'. 'Naruto's only mistake was counting on me to help Hinata'. 'I thought we were all goners until I saw Naruto take out the girl in one hit. If I hadn't seen that I don't know how I would have had the courage to fight such strong opponents.' Naruto, the only one who said anything bad against you was Sasuke who said, and I quote, "The dobe should have dodged left instead of right against that bone guy." So get a grip on reality! Injuries happen, and while everyone hopes they don't, death does too. Sometimes it is the leader's fault, but in this case it is not. Your mission was a success and everyone survived, so be happy. NOW, GO HOME!"

"FINE!" Naruto stalked to the door, but stopped when it was open. "This is still a d ranked, mission, right?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"Without pay."

"Bachan, you're mean."

"Yeah, and you're a brat."

"Better then old."

"Old is better then stupid."

"I think you should reread your mission reports, bachan." And with that, Naruto was gone.

Tsunade sighed. She knew he was right.

Not about being old, but about the mission reports.

In three weeks his team had accomplished fifteen C ranked missions and three B ranked, a record as far as she knew. Every report fro the customer said it was a mission performed with absolute professionalism and that they would only ask for missions from Konoha in the future.

Naruto was an excellent ninja, and so far he had been lucky to only go against week ninja and bandits.

The next mission would be hell.

Tsunade started writing again, working on the scroll she had been writing before Naruto had come barging in on her.

_A ranked mission._

_Investigate reports of disappearance from north western area of the lightning country._

_Assume high level ninja, jonin and chunin._

_Do not be seen by cloud ninja._

_If you are caught by kumo ninja, Konoha will deny your existence and claim you are missing nin._

_Further details will be orally given and no paper record will ever be made._

Tsunade sighed.

She had a mission for Naruto.

She just didn't want to give it to him.

* * *

"Ah… it feels good to sleep in a bed."

Naruto stretched out on his bed The soreness in his muscles was a welcomed feeling as he worked the kinks out of his arms. It felt good to work hard.

Just not to see your friends in hospital beds.

Naruto sighed.

The Hokage had been right, one hundred percent right. Naruto felt guilty for leading his team into a trap, a superb one, and then getting all but one wounded. And Sasuke had almost suffered from chakra exhaustion on the way back. Naruto, surprisingly to everyone but Hinata, who had lost consciousness, and Shino, who had never been awake since he had been found, had been half way back to Konoha when his own injuries, puncture wounds, had been healed completely. They hadn't even bothered him most of the trip.

His hand, which had broken multiple times in the fight, was as good a new by the time the got back.

To put it simply, Naruto was perfectly fine while his best friend and… girlfriend… were laying in beds in a hospital.

Naruto blushed unconsciously at the thought of his… girlfriend.

They had never actually said anything to each other about liking each other or anything. Heck, besides those few kisses that one night they hadn't done so much as touch hands in weeks unless it was Naruto carrying an exhausted Hinata.

Not very romantic with blood dripping down his face and his arms.

But they were, to everyone else, a couple. Even Shino seemed to think so. Naruto and Hinata hadn't even had a chance to talk about that night, they had been thrown into mission after mission after a month of rest. Hinata's muscles had rebuilt themselves in the first week through intense training during and outside of missions. Shino, who had not taken a day off, proved to be the most effective one during most missions. But that was only when they put Naruto in the back.  
How was he supposed to concentrate when Hinata was walking directly in front of him?  
Did she even know she swung her hips just ever so slightly?

Kuso, that drove him to distraction.

Naruto blushed some more, remembering the one mission he had nearly messed up on because of her.

Escorting a supply caravan heading to Suna, Hinata had been talking with one of the women in the wagons while she walked along outside.

Then she had decided to take that moment to ask him a question.

Naruto hadn't been paying attention to anything except the back of Hinata.

He had been about to say something completely stupid, he remembered exactly what, when Shino had interrupted and he had thought for a moment.

It would have been slightly awkward for Naruto to blurt out that if she wanted him to answer questions, she shouldn't be so beautiful.

Thank Kami for Shino and his great, great timing.

"Naruto? Are you home?"

_Oh, shit._

There was more then one reason he wanted another mission. He had been avoiding his home for weeks. Why? Well there was always the fact that Naruto had kissed, no tongue, Hiashi Hyuga's daughter on a roof while the entire city had cheered him on.

Yep, that would just about do it.

"Um… no?"

"Ah, Naruto. There you are. Come with me, I have something to talk to you about." Hiashi Hyuga's head was sticking into his room.

_Kuso._

"Hai."

_Better be submissive, maybe I'll be knocked out early on and not feel the pain of death._

_Nah, he'll torture me to death._

_Yeah, that's what I would do._

Naruto followed Hiashi through the halls. To someone watching it looked like Hiashi could have been holding a rope around Naruto's neck. His head was bowed and it looked like Naruto was going to the gallows.

He thought he was.

The went into his private study, which Naruto noted because he never would have suspected that Hiashi would let blood get on his personal paintings.

"Naruto, have a seat."  
A chair. Would ropes come out and strangle him?

Nope, he just sat.

"Now, Naruto. You probably know what I am going to talk to you about."

"Hai."

"The actions you took with my daughter three weeks ago at the festival were, to put it simply, against the laws of our clan."

"Hai."

"I believe I already gave you a punishment before you left that night, something about instant death."

"Hai."

"Well, there are actually two laws concerning the intimate contact you and my daughter partook in. The second is less… painful."

"Hai."

"Are you listening, Naruto?"

"Hai."

"What is the color robe I am wearing?"

"Hai."  
"Naruto."

"Hai."

"NARUTO!"

"Nani?"

"Finally. I said, there is a second punishment that is less painful. Kami, you make it so hard not to laugh."

"What… were we talking about?"

"Naruto, you, Hinata, kissing, festival, punishment, death."

"Oh… something less painful?"

"Oh, for the sake of all that is holy! Naruto, the clan can either kill you, or we sentence you to what some consider a fate worse then death."

"What?"

"Yes, either you are executed, or, with the consent of the guardian of the victim, you can be betrothed to the girl."

"Demo…"

"So, what is your choice."  
Naruto stared at him for almost a minute, and Hiashi suddenly regretted ever playing around with Naruto about the clan laws. They only really mattered in cases between people in a marriage contract to others.

Slowly, Naruto's face twisted into a sly smile.

"Oh, I get it. So I have to agree to be betrothed to Hinata or you kill me. But 'cause I already am betrothed I might as well say I agree. Ok, I agree."

"Naruto… sometimes I wonder where your battle instinct comes from. But I understand now that all of the subtle parts of your brain were taken over by that parts enhancing your instinct, giving you incredible battle prowess, but no ability to be smooth in dangerous situations."

"Whoa, I lost you there sometime after you said 'Naruto'."

Hiashi sighed.

"Naruto, it was a joke. All a joke. You are already betrothed to Hinata, the laws don't apply. You can do anything short of spending the night with her and the clan can't do anything about it."

"Huh… really? Then that whole thing about…"

"Yes, it is a real law. But you are betrothed. Effectively you are engaged, dating, courting, and just short of married right now and have been since birth."

"… Oh."

"Finally, you understand."

"Yeah. Though you need to work on your sense of humor if you think making a guy suffer through three weeks of hell is funny."

"Your fault because you never came home except late at night and to leave early."

"But I feared for my life!"

"And you wouldn't have if you had faced your punishment."

"DEATH?"

"No, that was only for having sex."

"Besides, Hinata jumped ME!"

"Really?"

"You think would have thrown a kunai at her for her to catch at night?"

"Well…"

"I'm not an idiot!"

"Well…"

Hiashi had to start laughing at that. He had not been able to see the whole thing from his place in the crowd. Hinata jumping Naruto and kissing him? That was funny.

"Before you go, Naruto…"

"Hai?"

"I want to tell you something about… your father and I."

Naruto had sat down again with a serious look on his face.

"Naruto. I guess Jiraiya found it time to inform you about your heritage, so it is time I told you exactly why you are here and why your parents are… not. Your father, the Fourth, was one of my most dear friends. We were rivals in the academy, but eventually we learned that we were the same. He was destined to lead the village, and I, my clan."

"What was his real name?"

"Minato Namikaze. He was the greatest ninja to ever come from our village. The techniques you learned, both the rasengan and the Hiraishin… they were invented by him. You know about the sealing process, and how he gave his life to seal the Kyuubi in you."

"Hai."

"You don't blame him?"

"No. He did the same thing I would have."

"Good. Your mother, Kushina Uzumaki, was one of the ones injured in the opening attack of the Kyuubi. She died in child birth from the combined stress of the birth and her wounds."

"So… I carry my mother's name… why didn't anyone know who I was until now?"

"Your father and mother weren't married. Well… not here. As Hokage, he wasn't allowed to marry outside the village. It was one of the things that led to the first ninja wars. They were married in the land of the Whirlpool, I was there as witness."

"Okaa-san said she named me Uzumaki because…"

"She told the truth. I don't know why or how, but she was slightly out of it when I brought you in. Probably the painkillers. But she named you after your mother without her even thinking about it. It was interesting, to say the least. Most people just though it was Hinati naming you after her late friend."

"That is weird."

"Hai. Hinati was… strange. She knew she would give birth to a girl before it should be possible. She knew Kushina would give birth to a boy also. And so, before you were even born, you and Hinata had been betrothed to each other."

"Wow…"

"Yes, that is what I though. Minato was also skeptical, after all, he and Kushina got together against the law, not with it. But both Hinati and Kushina insisted you were perfect for each other. And that was months before the Kyuubi attack."

"Crazy."

"So we thought… until you proved her right. Funny thing, in all the times Hinati said something that sounded impossible to know, it was true. She always just… knew."

"That's okaa-san for you!"

"Hai…"

"Alright, I have a mission to do."

"What mission? Hinata hasn't been released yet!"

"Bachan said I have a d ranked mission to go to sleep and take a shower. I already took the shower, now its time to complete the mission. Night, Hiashi-sama."

"Please, Naruto. Otou-san."

"Ano… hai, otou-san."

"Good night, Naruto."

* * *

A little over a month later, Jiraiya sat on the window sill of the Hokage's office. He often visited her, but it seemed that he never brought any good news. Today was no different.

"Tsunade-hime."

"What?" She didn't look up from the form she was signing.

"My sources have tracked Orochimaru."

"Is he…"

"Hai."

"What is his… status?"

"We don't know. We don't know if they are with him, just hosting him, or unaware of him."

"I hardly think they would be unaware…"

"This is Orochimaru. He could slaughter towns and no one would know he was there."

"True, despite the fact he isn't the best of us at fighting, he was the best at deception."

"Hey!"

"If you're so good, how come I here screaming from hot springs daily?"

"That would be Naruto."

"He's growing into a good man."

"No, he just wants to train. I don't think he cares what I look at or write. He just wants to know more ninjutsu."

"Maybe… but I doubt he reads them."

"No, he has a girlfriend."

"Did you just admit that no one with a girlfriend would read that smut?"

"NO! Just that men with girlfriends read them less because they…"

"Jiraiya, remember that one time? With the hot spring? Don't go any further."

"Hai."

"I hate it when you bring me this information…"

"Are you still planning on giving that mission?"

"I need to, if this is his doing we need to know why."

"I agree, just put me in charge."

"You?"

"Hai, let me lead my own team in there."

"Who?"

"Kakashi, Kurenai, Anko and…"

"If you say Iruka I will rip you a new one."

"Iruka? Iruka who?"

"Oh, never mind. Anko keeps rejecting missions she has to be away from Iruka on. Did you know what happened between her and Orochi while he was still a part of Konoha?"

"Hai, I heard. I remember seeing her once before she disappeared. Then Orochimaru left as well. I knew what would happen."

"Just one more reason to kill him slowly and painfully."

"Hai. So, no Anko. Kakashi, Kurenai, Gai…"

"Kakashi refuses to go on missions with Gai."

"Kakashi, Kurenai…"

"Shikamaru and Naruto."

"At least you knew I wanted Naruto, but why the Nara?"

"He's a genius."

"No, seriously."

"His jonin sensei gave him an IQ test. The kid's a freaking genius. Naruto, you might want if you need a distraction or someone killed."

"Killed? Why would I call on Naruto for that?"

"Have you seen his missions recently?"

She handed him a report from the last two months, Naruto's entire missions as a chunin.

"He has gone on twenty two C ranked missions, fifteen B ranks, and two A ranks with Kurenai along. He has personally killed over forty people with various methods. His favorite is the rasengan to the chest and/or head. Did you teach him how to use it in conjunction with his speed or the Hiraishin?"

"No..."

"Good, he hasn't yet."

"Shit…"

"Yeah, but I must say, it was the right thing to do. That move has saved his life at least... ten times?"

"The right thing to do? Shit, Tsunade I hadn't killed forty people in the first two YEARS I was a chunin! And there was a lot more unrest back then."

"Maybe, but Naruto's team is capable and I send his team on the missions that have a higher chance to go against ninja. Two chunin and a great genin. His teammates are only slightly less bloody."

"The young girl… how does she handle it."

"Like a ninja. She has killed slightly over twenty, Shino only twelve, but his style allows for more prisoners."

"Damn it… Tsunade, what are you doing to these kids?"

"I'm preparing them."

"For what? The next ninja war?"

"..."

"You... you're serious?"

"Jiraiya, surely you see. Suna and Konoha are weaker then ever before. Iwa and Kumo are in an alliance that has as much as told us they hate our guts. Rain is doing absolutely nothing except fighting amongst themselves, but they would go with Kumo if war started. That leaves us and Sound, but Sound has no kage anymore and no ninja to lead anyway. Grass was taken by Sound and Sound disbanded when Orochimaru left. If Orochimaru is where we think he is then war is just over that horizon. You brought me back to protect this city, and I am trying to do just that! SO DON'T GET ALL TEARY EYED WHEN OUR NINJA ARE FORCED TO KILL! It might save Konoha in the near future."

"You're right… you always are. But… Kami…"

"Do you accept the mission?"

"Of course, Tsunade-hime. I will assemble the team for briefing tomorrow at dawn. We will be gone before noon."

"Good, we need that information as soon as possible."

"Hai. Just remember, Tsunade. They aren't robots."

"I know. But it isn't like they are killing for the first time. Even Hinata knows what it takes to defend others. If they are going to kill you, make sure they can't in the quickest way possible. If you don't go for the kill, they might stab you in the back."

"Just remember it. Naruto… he might act like his mother, but his father's heart is in there as well."

"… alright."

"Minato was always... less inclined to end a life. I remember, he would alway cry for a fallen opponent after a battle. Even in the war. He did what needed to be done, and then he would pray for his fallen enemy."

"I understand."

* * *

Naruto and Hinata were on what others might call a date, but what they would call a team-lunch-minus-Shino-which-turned-into-a-walk-around-the-town-together.

Yeah, they were in denial.

They hadn't gone much further in their relationship over the past months. Two months since their first kiss, and they hadn't kissed again. They had started holding hands when they were alone together, but there was so little time like that.

"Hey, Hinata-chan?"

"Yes, Naruto-kun?

"Ano…"

"NARUTO!"

Both spun around like they had been burned. They had been holding hands up until that point, but when they had turned to each other they had noticed how close their faces were together… and Naruto had forgotten everything he was about to say.

He was sure it wasn't important.

But that that blasted ero-sennin had butted in. He had probably been waiting in the shadows for just the wrong time to come in.

"What is it, ero-sennin?"

"Naruto…" He looked at Hinata. Naruto was about to kick the older man in the balls when he noticed it was not a lecherous grin on his face, but a look of complete seriousness.

"Hyuga-san, please excuse us. This is extremely private."

"Oh… ok. I'll see you at home, Naruto-kun." Hinata waved as she walked off. As soon as she turned the corner Naruto turned back to the white haired man.

"What?"

"Come."

"… alright."

They had entered a training area and were deep into the forest before the stopped. Jiraiya did a weird jutsu that made some sort of bubble come from his body. When it covered them and the area around them for a few seconds he drew it back in.

"What was that, ero-sennin?"

"A barrier, it allows me to sense everything inside of it. All movement and other things. I was checking for listening devices."

"Cool jutsu, why?"

"You and me are going on a mission. Top secret, A ranked, but it will be considered S ranked until we complete it. Three others are coming with us. You will meet them when you come tomorrow. Meet me here at dawn, do not be late."

Normally Naruto would be bouncing off the walls. An S ranked mission with a sannin had to mean he was moving up in the ninja world. But… Jiraiya didn't seem his normal self. His eyes made it seem like he was in deep thought. Naruto somehow knew that the mission wasn't just any mission. It would be very important to the village.

"Alright."

"Good. I'll mark the spot."

"No, I got it." Naruto took a kunai out and threw it into a tree branch, it was covered in leafs so you would have to know it was there to even see it.

"Should I come ready to go?"

"Hai, pack for an extended trip. Don't tell anyone else, not Hiashi, not your girlfriend, not anyone."

"Alright."

"Good." Instantly he was back to his normal overly happy self. "Well, enjoy yourself. I'll see you around!"

"Yeah… sure."  
Naruto was, for one of the first times in his life, worried about a mission before he was on it. The only time this had happened was before going to find Tsunade.

Because Hinata had been in danger.

So this time, it would probably be the same. Except the village was on the line.

He would not fail.

* * *

AN: Alright. What was I going to say? Oh yes. Slightly shorter then normal, but the last two were longer. And I won't have a chance to write more tonight.


	22. Thunder and Lightning

AN: Alright, welcome once again to Blind. And the first official chapter of my original arc. This is the last story arc before a time skip, so enjoy it while it lasts. And… um… thanks to everyone who reviewed my latest few chapters. I really enjoy hearing everyone's opinions about the chapters. Some said the festival was too much, others liked it. I thought it was nice, especially when I followed it up with the next chapter. Say goodbye to Hinata, you won't see her for a couple chapters.

Oh, and if anyone likes Star Wars, I have a new fan fic there. I enjoy writing SW almost as much as Naruto. For those waiting on Chaos, I will update, just wait until Blind is done. I was having issues switching back and forth between the two and I really want to finish Blind before Christmas. Wait for it, I have a lot in store for that. Not as much as Blind, but it will be good.

Oh, and for what I am picturing for the cliffs (you'll understand when you come to it), google search some ocean cliffs and find the ones near Japan.

* * *

Chapter 21: Thunder and Lightning

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki appeared in a flash on a tree branch in the middle of the woods north of Konoha. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon and, from his spot on the tree, Naruto saw the first rays of the sun begin to coat the tops of the trees in light. A way of color flowed over him as he watched the sun come over the hills in the distance. He turned to face the city, the south, and he could barely see the Hokage's tower. 

He knew it would probably be the last time he saw it for a while.

That morning he had woken up much earlier then usual and he had snuck from his home. He had not done anything that might have alerted the guards or his otou-san to his leaving. He figured the Hokage would tell them about him later. He had only made one stop on his way out, and that was to leave a note tied to one of his special kunai on the inside of Hinata's door. And with that, and one final glance at the sleeping Hyuga, he vanished in a burst of speed. He had reached the north side of town and gone into the forest a small distance before using his favorite technique to warp to his destination.

No one could follow him, he would leave no tracks.

He finished his last look at his village before hoping to the forest floor. He found that Jiraiya had, indeed, gathered some of the greatest ninja for the trip. Kakashi, on time for once, leaned against a tree.

He was not reading his book.

Kurenai was standing with her arms crossed, surprised that Naruto had snuck up on them. Naruto was glad she was with them. She was the best genjutsu user he knew of and would be a great help for any mission.

Shikamaru Nara was a surprising addition. Sure, he had been the first to receive his chunin vest, but most people had no idea why. He looked to be a lazy bum. The truth was, and Naruto knew, that Shikamaru never did anything without thinking it through to all of its possible conclusions. And he never wasted a movement.

He was a good ninja, and his techniques would be helpful on the mission.

What mission it was… he didn't know.

After glancing at his teammates, he turned back towards the city. Two people were walking out of the forest into the small clearing where they stood. Jiraiya, the toad sage, looked a serious as he had ever seen him. The Hokage was behind them, obviously to ensure everyone that the mission, whatever it was, was, indeed, a real one.

"Thank you all for agreeing to the mission. I assume Jiraiya gave you all the details about the mission requirements?"

Naruto raised his hand, apparently the hermit had left something out. Requirements?

"Bachan, what requirements? He just said meet here without telling anyone."

"Jiraiya?"

"I told the rest of them, I figured Naruto would agree anyway."

"You didn't have the right to decide for him." Tsunade, who looked slightly angry at the possibility of an information leak, turned back to Naruto. "Naruto, the requirements to hear the briefing are as follows. This is an S ranked secret mission of high A rank difficulty that may last weeks or months. You must be prepared for an extended mission."

"Hai."

"Second, because of the danger and extreme nature of the mission, you must give me your Konoha headbands before you leave. If you are captured or killed on the mission, you will be reported as missing ninja from Konoha and the mission will have never existed."

"Nani?"

"You either accept or decline. Which is it?"

"I accept, but I want to know why that is in the briefing."

"All will become clear. Last, no one will know you are on a mission. You will be reported missing to your friends and family to ensure the story about being missing ninja is accepted in the case of your capture or death. They will not know anything until a year from the completion of the mission."

"Ano…"

* * *

Hinata Hyuga woke up from her sleep unusually early as well. Something had felt… wrong about the morning. She had needed to wake up and take a shower. Maybe she would go out and train. 

As her hand brushed her door to open it, she felt something stuck into it that was not normally there.

It was a kunai.

But not just any kunai, it was Naruto's. And it held a piece of parchment to the door.

Hinata quickly went to her bedside table and tied her headband around her eyes before using her jutsu. Naruto had improved the jutsu greatly after the accident, and it was interesting to find that she could see more clearly then most people even though she was actually blind. She pulled the kunai out and read the piece of paper.

Hinata's heart clenched as she read the one line the note contained.

_I'll come back, don't worry._

_Love_

_- __Naruto Namikaze Uzumaki

* * *

_

"That's ok, as long as that is all you wrote."

"Hai, it is."

"Then you agree to the last term."

"So you won't let Hiashi or Hinata know where I am. Or Shino. You'll just let them assume that I am a missing ninja for weeks… maybe months? That would… I don't know what otou-san would do. Shino and Hinata… they wouldn't believe it."

"Good, because it isn't technically true."

"I agree, but if anything bad happens to my friendships because of this… I won't be happy."

"That is noted. Very well, everyone here is now sworn to secrecy. Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya did his barrier jutsu again, once again finding nothing. He nodded to the Hokage.

"Your mission is to investigate the disappearances on the north western coast of Lightning Country. We suspect high ranking ninja are involved, and recently have determined that it is quite possible that multiple S ranked ninja are also involved, including, maybe, Orochimaru. Being seen or caught by Kumo ninja will fail the mission. If you are seen, do not return to Konoha until I send for you. Gather all information related to the disappearances and, with Jiraiya's discretion, shut down any threat to Konoha. The primary objective is the information, the secondary is shutting it down. If it is too much for the six of you, don't do it. Your lives are more important then whatever is going on up there."

"So get info on whatever is causing the disappearances. Shut it down if possible."

"Hai. And don't die. Jiraiya's last informant in the area was killed two weeks ago, just after determining the Orochimaru is in the country."

"What do you think he is doing up there?"

"We don't know, that is what you are to find out. The most important piece of information to bring back…"

"You want to know whether or not Orochimaru is in league with the Raikage."

Everyone turned to look at the Nara, who was casually leaning against a tree.

"What? It makes sense. This wouldn't be that tough of a mission is we were on good terms with Kumo. Because we are not, we want to know if Orochimaru is there to help them find a way to defeat Konoha, his obvious ultimate goal or if they don't know he is there. Or if they are apathetic to his actions. The information is important because if they are in league, Konoha could be looking at the beginning of another great ninja war."

"Exactly."

"Shouldn't you alert Suna?"

"Not until we know the information. As it is, mobilizing troops would just give them a reason to go to war with us."

"Alright, but you said 'six' people... there are five here."

"Actually, there is one other member…" A last person stepped from behind a tree. "He will be coming with you."

Everyone except Naruto was surprised by the appearance of Sabaku no Gaara. Naruto smiled and walked over. He took Gaara's hand and shook it.

"It is good to have you with us, Gaara."

"So we have a hermit, a jinchuriki, a lazy genius, a genjutsu mistress and a ninjutsu master. And Naruto."

"Thanks, bachan."

"Alright, you are all prepared to leave?"

"Hai."

"Hand me your headbands."

The six people removed their headbands and were given identical ones. The only difference was the gash through the Konoha symbol in each. They were now missing ninja in everything but reality.

"Jiraiya is leader in this mission."

"Hai."

"Go."

Tsunade was instantly alone.

Alone and feeling very guilty for sending the young ninjas on the mission.

A few weeks can change a lot of things.

* * *

That evening the group of six stopped to make camp. They had all made top speed to the north and a small bit east. They were planning on running the border of Oto to the coast and then following the coast until they entered Lightning Country. As a group of six, they agreed to pair off. Kakashi and Kurenai were paired together, much to the visible disappointment of Kurenai, but Naruto guessed she wasn't protesting as much as he normally would. Jiraiya went with Shikamaru, mainly because he was the leader and he had learned quickly that Shikamaru really was a genius. 

The last pair were actually hoping that they would get put together. They had a lot to talk about. Gaara and Naruto had first watch, so they were sitting next to the fire while the others went to sleep.

"So… Gaara. I haven't seen you since… well, since the festival."

"Hai."

"Heh, kinda funny how you can sleep now, but you can't because you have guard duty."

"Hai."  
Naruto laughed awkwardly. It seemed like conversation was not on Gaara's mind.

"Naruto."

Or maybe it was.

"Hai?"

"You should inform the others about your demon."

"Nani?"

"You should. It is important information to have. I will inform them tomorrow."

"Well… I think the only one who doesn't know about the Kyuubi is Shikamaru."

"Interesting."

"You see, Kurenai and Kakashi were jonin on a mission I went on when I first used Kyuubi. And they knew before hand anyway. Jiraiya was actually at the sealing. You know and I know. So Shikamaru is the only one I haven't told, but he probably knows anyway."

"He is abnormally intelligent."

"Yep."

"Naruto."

"Hai?"

"I wasn't able to talk to you about it at the festival, but I thank you daily for sealing Shukaku. I sleep without worry, and I have grown stronger then ever without having to worry about her coming out and slaughtering everyone."

"Her?"

"Hai… didn't you hear me call her mother?"

"Demo…"

"She has a masculine voice."

"I'll say."

"She has calmed down a lot now. Only tries to get out on nights of the full moon. But the seal is holding, and it is not hard to hold her in, even in sleep."

"That's great. It wasn't me that sealed you, though. I let Kyuubi take temporary control that time."

"You… let you demon take control?"

"Hai, if I didn't I wouldn't have been able to take you out so quickly. Kyuubi had nine tails and I would only be able to use one. If I let Kyuubi out I would have been able to use three, so I did."

"You weren't worried she would destroy everything?"

"Slightly, but we have a… deal. He listens to me or he will vanish from existence. It has something to do with a demon code and a promise made when he was sealed inside me."

"It sounds… convenient."

"Kinda, but when everyone older then fifteen knows I hold it and then I use it… lets just say I get cold stares."

"But… the festival…"

"Oh, since then I haven't gotten a lot. Mostly people stopped looking at me like that, but some… well, you can't win 'um all."

"No, I guess you can't…"

* * *

The next morning was an interesting one for Shikamaru. Truth be told, he had always guessed Naruto had the Kyuubi sealed inside of him, but he had never expected to actually be told it or see the seal. He knew Gaara held a demon, but when he announced that it was also one of the tailed ones, he was stunned. 

Two of the nine most powerful demons… and they were on his team.

The possibilities…

The liabilities…

But they assured him the demons were only assets now that Shukaku was sealed.

He would need to see it first hand, but he believed them for now.

Heck, it wasn't like he had nothing to hide.

He liked the one tailed jinchuriki's sister.

How weird was that?

The team had left early in the morning and had reached the border of sound shortly after. They had arrived at the Valley of the End. Jiraiya explained that it was created by a battle between two powerful ninja, the two carved into the waterfall. Naruto had to smile at the story.  
He would do something worthy of being carved into stone someday. And when that day came, he would be complete.

Naruto frowned.

Just as he thought about being complete, he knew it was a lie.

_What does it mean? My life goal is to be Hokage, it should be the thing that will make me happy, shouldn't it be?_

_**Kid, I know what you mean. One time I went around killing people, thinking it would make me happy if I killed enough.**_

_Did it?_

_**Nope. Then I got a mate and we both went around killing people. Then I was happy.**_

_You… are a sick bastard._

_**Yeah, but do you understand?**_

_You're saying I need a mate to be happy?_

_**Most people do.**_

Naruto suddenly went back to his mental picture of being happy. Up until that day it had been him, standing on the Hokage Tower looking at his own face in the Hokage Mountain, knowing he had done it. This time, though, he put a person standing next to himself.

Hinata Hyuga was next to him, looking at his real face as Naruto viewed the city he swore to protect with his life.

Naruto realized something at that point, overlooking the Valley of the End. He realized that his life long dream and goal had changed without him knowing it. And now… he knew what he wanted in life.

* * *

It took three more days before the team came to the border of Lightning. They had slowed down after exiting Fire Country, making sure to not run into anyone by taking routes as far away from roads as possible. At one time they had been running along the water of the ocean front, hundreds of feet down massive cliffs, to avoid a team of Kumo ninja who had probably been on a mission. They had remained unspotted. 

And now they were standing on a cliff, a forest to their right and the ocean to their left. There was no way to know that this was the imaginary line that caused Lightning Country to begin, but they knew.

Somehow, they knew.

And this knowledge caused them to slow their pace to a crawl. They were always on guard, stretching their senses to the maximum at all times to avoid ninja. At times they would walk along the water at the bottom of the cliff, hiding in partial caves in the cliff face at night. Gaara, who hated the water and had never practiced walking on it, sat on a cloud of sand and merely hovered silently over the water. Shikamaru, who had less stamina then the others, sometimes rode with him. But he was getting better and better daily. The trip was improving him by leaps and bounds.

Every night Jiraiya would teach Naruto something he didn't know. Sometimes he would give him a jutsu to study during the day and test him at night. Other times he would merely give him something to do, like walk along the cliff sideways instead of on the water. Naruto learned his first low level Katon jutsu this way, lighting fires at night instantly to avoid the smoke of wet wood. He learned a weak Suiton jutsu this way as well, just something to take water from a nearby water source and throw it somewhere in a weak jet of water.

Kakashi and Kurenai taught Shikamaru a jutsu as well, a ninjutsu that acted like a flash bang. It was perfect for his shadow techniques and it required little chakra. If it wasn't for the fact that they hid most of the time the sun was in the sky and they began to journey at night, they might have thought the whole journey to be a training mission.

But that changed exactly one week into the mission.

* * *

No one spoke during the traveling time, only at rest. They were walking once again on the ocean, jumping waves and staying as close to the cliff face as possible without worrying about being crushed against them with a wave. They had come up to a point where the cliff face turned corner. They had turned many corners, dozens a day, and the plan was always the same. Jiraiya would summon a small toad and the toad would look around the corner. Each time the toad would come back cursing Jiraiya for summoning it with nothing to see, as toads hated salt water. It made them all warty, they said. 

This time the small toad hoped around the corner on the water's surface and everyone saw its eyes grow wide. It hopped back.

"Jiraiya-sama, this time there is something. No people, so you can go."

"What is it?"

"I don't know, some… building built into the cliffs."

Jiraiya thanked and unsummoned the toad before signaling silence and to follow him. He placed his body against the wall of the cliff before edging around the corner. Each person followed his idea and inched around the corner. What they saw almost caused Naruto to gasp, but they all remained silent.

The cliff had been carved out, the waves were not crashing on rock, but steel and concrete. A large merchant boat was moored at the dock but no one was in sight. They all stopped when Jiraiya waved for Kurenai.

"Kurenai, scout ahead and find a hiding place."

"Got it." She did some hand signs before disappearing into her special genjutsu. Jiraiya motioned for everyone to go underwater. Naruto sank under the water instantly, but kept his eyes open despite the stinging salt water. Gaara sank next to him, but due to his hate for water he created a bubble of sand around him which kept him just inches from the surface and dry.

Naruto noticed that what they saw on the surface wasn't the only part of the instillation. The building had to extend underwater at least as far as it did above the water, a hundred feet or so. Light shown out the windows, eerily green and sickly through the salt water, but Naruto had a feeling that the light was that color to begin with anyway.

It made him cringe.

It wasn't a natural light.

He almost didn't want to know what was stored in those rooms.

Almost.

Jiraiya seemed to know where to go, or had seen Kurenai, and started swimming towards the underside of the dock. Everyone followed, even Gaara, who had create a sand eye to see where to go and caused his sand bubble to sprout paddle like arms. It would have been funny, a powerful ninja afraid of water, if they weren't very close to an unknown danger. Probably exactly what they were looking for. They were in the right area.

A week in and they might have found exactly what was needed.

Maybe Hinata would like a date when he got back…

They surfaced underneath the dock and saw Kurenai before them.

"What is the situation?" Kurenai frowned.

"They have surveillance cameras everywhere further in than the dock. Going in this way would be announcing our entrance to the world."

"What about henge? We could wait until the owners of the boat come back, take them out and henge into them."

"It would only work if they had exactly six crew and we had the chance to interrogate them before hand." Naruto coughed, he hadn't spoken up in a while.

"Jiraiya, let me and Gaara infiltrate the boat. You watch out for people coming and warn us."

"Warn you how?"

"Gaara can keep his sand eye active and you warn it."

The group looked at each other, wondering if they should agree. Finally Jiraiya nodded. Naruto tapped Gaara's sand shield and they swam to the farthest side of the boat from the building. It was docked parallel to the cliff face, so they jumped onto the deck from the starboard side after surfacing. Gaara had one eye closed as he carefully followed Naruto into the boat.

It wasn't a very large boat, and it was actually incredibly easy to search. But what they found was disturbing to their core.

It wasn't a yacht.

It was a slave ship.

The entire inside of the ship had been transformed into a holding room for what had to be slaves. Chains were attached to the floor evenly spaced apart and on the walls. Seals were placed all around, probably to keep in sound and reinforce the wooden ship against outside attack. It was dark and wet and not good at all. Gaara went to the captain's quarters, the only other place in the ship besides the deck.

While Gaara was there, Naruto noticed something that he didn't expect.

The chains… were spaced very far apart, far enough so that a slave wouldn't be able to get near the next one. He would have thought they would want to pack slaves so tight that they would be able to get more in, not space them far apart. Unless they were dangerous to each other…

Naruto also noticed that the chain weren't normal chains. They were the kind the ANBU used to hold high level ninja prisoners. Chakra distorting and absorbing while being incredibly strong. Only a demon would be able to break those chains.

The last thing Naruto noticed were the marks on the floors and walls near where the prisoners would have had their hands and feet.

They weren't made by hands or feet.

They were claw marks.

He knew.

He would need to remember this, something wasn't right about this slave ship.

It would carry a max of two dozen when it could have fit over fifty. It was made to be able to contain healthy jonin, not weak slaves. And the marks…

Gaara returned to the room after skimming the materials in the captain's cabin. He did not return alone.

"Naruto."

"What?" Naruto turned to face Gaara, expecting that they needed to leave because someone was coming. What he saw was not what he expected, nor what he wanted to see.

He knew Jiraiya would be pissed.

Gaara was supporting a girl, probably only a year or two older then him, probably exactly Gaara's age. She was barely clothed, not conscious, and her wrists and ankles were bloody from chains that were too tight. Her long brown hair hung limp around her shoulders. What made Naruto cringe were the bruises that covered her arms and legs as far as he could see. Most were old and yellow.

Some were new.

Naruto suddenly had an urge to just wait until the captain came back, just to give him a peace of his mind.

And maybe a rasengan up the ass.

Or right into his manhood.

Either would be a fine, painful way to die.

"Naruto, what do I do? She saw me and I knocked her out."

"We… damn…"

"If we take her with us she will be a burden and they will most likely look for her and wonder how she escaped." Naruto shook his head.

"And if we don't then they grill her for information and definitely find out we are here. And… she will still be here…" Gaara nodded.

"What do we do?" Naruto thought. He had an idea, but it depended on one important thing...

"Take her, I have an idea… it might work…"

The captain of the slaving vessel would return hours later, just before dawn, to find his toy had died from injuries sustained by him. He felt no regret and even laughed as he dumped the body overboard to be had by the fishes. He would just get a new one when he returned to port. They never lasted that long.

He didn't even realize that the girl was a rock with a weak genjutsu on it.

Naruto sighed in relief that the captain was not a ninja. He had been prepared to kill the man, complicating the mission incredibly, if he saw through the genjutsu.

* * *

As dawn came the six ninja team had returned to around the cliff corner. Jiraiya had used an earth jutsu to create their own cave to rest in and hide in. The draw back was that if anyone came around they would know that it was not natural. Luckily they had a genjutsu mistress with them who masked the mouth of the cave to make it appear like the rest of the cliff face. The waves, though, went through the illusion and a careful eye would see the discrepancy. 

The girl had not woken up, Gaara had either hit her really hard or she had been in bad shape to begin with. They all agreed it was most likely the latter. Gaara still felt guilty and sat beside the girl, giving her water to drink while she slept. Naruto cooked a few pieces of the meat they had left from the last time Naruto had gone up on the cliff to find food. He just held it on a stick in front of his mouth and used his weak Katon jutsu, Ryuuka no jutsu, to cook them. The scent of food finally seemed to rouse the girl. She moaned slightly as she sat up, but then seemed to realize that she was no longer chained to the captain's bed and that six very strange looking people were looking at her.

And one had just been shooting flames from his mouth.

"KYAH…"

She had gotten a second into her scream before sand covered her mouth. Gaara removed it a second later when she stopped screaming.

"Please, we mean you no harm."

"Wha… who… why… what's going on?" The girl looked like she was about to hyperventilate.

"We can't say right now, only know that you are free from the ship."

"I… I'm… free?"

"Would you like some food?"

Naruto had held out his skewer of meat expecting her to take a piece off. Instead she stared at him like he was asking her if she could fly. Then she looked at the meat, and then back at him.

"I can… have… some?"

"Of course, that's what I said."

She stared again, then at Gaara, who was still next to her. Then, last, she looked at Kurenai, the only woman in the group. Kurenai smiled at her, and she took this as a sign to accept the food.

And by accept, what happened was she grabbed the entire skewer out of Naruto's hands and started inhaling the meat off of it. The entire group stared at her as she ate what could have fed ten normal people in minutes.

"Wow, Choji has some competition." Shikamaru smiled.

"Wow… thank you so much… I haven't had warm food in… a long time."

She sat up completely and sat against the cave wall. Gaara handed his canteen to her and she tried to drink quickly, but her grabbed it from her.

"Slowly." Gaara stared into her eyes as he said this, and she seemed to recognize him as the last one she saw before passing out.

"O… ok…"

He gave it back to her and she slowly sipped it.

"Ok, miss, we can't really tell you who we are or what we're doing, but we can introduce ourselves. My name is Jiraiya. The guy over there with the mask and the eye covered is Kakashi. The woman over there is Kurenai. The three youngsters here are Shikamaru…" He gave a wave from his spot. "… Naruto…" Naruto was staring at the empty skewer. "… and Gaara." Gaara just stayed as he was. Kurenai moved over and sat next to her, but not too close.

"So, who're you and if you want to talk about it, what were you doing on that ship?"

"Um…" She had to put down the water bottle. Gaara reached out and took it back from her. "My name is… Matsuri. I'm originally from the land of stone." Jiraiya frowned at that, but she didn't catch it. "I've been on the ship for… a long time… I think… I was sold to the captain by my… by my father."

"Bastard."

Everyone looked at Gaara, the one who had spoken.

"No, you don't understand! He was a nice man… but he was going to be sent to jail for his debts…" She didn't sound sure of herself.

"He was a coward. He sold his daughter into slavery to save his own ass."

"But… but… he told me the debts were from taking care of me…"

"A bastard, coward, and a liar."

"Gaara, stop." Kurenai frowned at him. He backed away a little bit before standing and walking to the other side of the cave and began taking his frustration out on the wall in the form of breaking it down into sand to create a ledge that would be able to be used as a bed. The extra sand from the rock would make a slightly more comfortable surface to lay on then the solid rock. He knew the girl would want to be comfortable.

At least _he_ wanted her to be comfortable.

The girl watched him in surprise and awe as he used his sand to destroy the cavern wall.

"You… you are ninjas…"

"Hai."

"The headbands are not from Iwa… but I never knew what all of them were."

"We can't tell you where we are from, gomen."

"Arigato… for saving me…"

"Gaara and Naruto found you in the ship, but from what Naruto tells us it is not a normal slave ship. Do you know anything about what the ship carries?" Gaara had not been able to get anything from the ships records. The captain kept none except one that showed massive quantities of money being deposited into his account every month or so. It had been going on for at least a year.

"I… no, I don't… I spend the trips mostly chained… but I hear things…"

"What kind of things?"

"I thought we transported animals, from the sounds of things in the hold, not slaves. Roars and growls and scratching..."

"Interesting…" Kurenai looked over at Naruto, who was deep in thought.

"I still say the chain placement would be perfect for an average human, maybe a bit larger in some cases. But that would explain the claw marks…" Shikamaru cut him off.

"Matsuri, did you hear the sounds on your way here? Or do you pick them up here and take them elsewhere."

"No, we… he would pick them up here."

Shikamaru cringed at his mistake of word choices. By then Naruto had figured something out.

"So they aren't bringing animals or slaves here, but taking them away… that fits." Naruto was thinking about the disappearing people.

"Fits with what?"

"Sorry, we can't tell you. The less you know, the better off you'll be."

"Oh… ok…" The girl kept having her eyes being drawn back to Gaara, who had now made seven beds of sand in the cave walls. He returned to the edge of the group. She glanced at him and he caught it.

"Would you like the water?"

"Ano… s…sure…" She grasped the water when he offered it and she started sipping it again.

"So… Matsuri."

"Hm… Hai?"

"We faked your death, so the captain won't be looking for you, but really… we can't let you leave here just yet. It might be a while before we actually leave here, and we can't let you go until we leave because you know we are here and that is dangerous to us and you. So you'll need to stay here until our mission is done. It might be a few days, but when it is done you can go wherever you want."

"A… arigato… I don't really have any place to go… I don't even know where I am."

"We'll take you with us when we leave… if that is your wish."

Once again, every eye was drawn to Gaara. He didn't flinch. Matsuri just stared at him with her mouth open.

"A… ano… I… would… kinda… like that… if that was ok with your group."

Now every eye was on Jiraiya. He sighed.

"Yeah, it's fine. Gaara will make sure you don't fall behind."

"I will."

"Well, I don't know about you all, but I'm hungry." Naruto got up, once again looking at the skewer that had been loaded with food minutes ago, before his stomach grumbled.

"I'll be right back."

Naruto ran to the entrance and, before passing the genjutsu barrier clearly marked by Kurenai, made sure there was no one around. He dove into the ocean a moment later.

"Where is he going?"

"To get some fish, I guess. He normally goes up the cliff for a deer or other land based creature, says they taste better. But it is daylight now, so he can't. He'll be back shortly."

Indeed, Naruto was back shortly. Minutes later Naruto walked in out of the water with a fish in his teeth. He spat it out, and smiled.

Then he vanished in a puff of smoke.

"AH!" Matsuri had obviously no previous experience will kage bunshins. Gaara tried to explain it, but she knew nothing of chakra or jutsu or hand signs or anything. He had a long day ahead. Most of the rest would sleep after food, but he knew the girl probably slept in the night and was awake in the day. And he had plenty of experience with not sleeping.

Ten more Narutos came in with fish before the real one appeared with, as luck would have it, a shark longer then he was. Matsuri, who had lived in a coastal city, was the only one besides Jiraiya who knew what it was. She gave a small squeak of fright before she saw the knife in its eye.

"N…Naruto? Don't you know what that is?"

"Of course, it's a fish."

"Hai… but, Naruto…"

"Matsuri, don't worry. Naruto, that's a shark." Jiraiya was trying to contain his laughter.

"And a shark is?"

"A fish that has teeth, check inside its mouth."

Naruto opened the large mouth and frowned when he saw the rows and rows of teeth. He grabbed one and pulled it out. It was the size of his thumb. He pocketed it. He would need to show it to Hinata.

"Oh, so it wasn't just a big stupid fish. It swam toward me cause it actually wanted to eat me, not because it wanted to die."

"That's right, Naruto."

"Oh well, it probably tastes better then that stupid fish with both eyes on one side of its head."

"A flounder."

"See! Even the name is stupid!" Naruto kept ranting about the stupidity of fish as he filleted the shark. Indeed, it did taste delicious. They set the live fish free, mainly because the shark would feed them all anyway. That day, just after dawn, Matsuri had a feast unlike any meal she had ever had.

Home caught shark, roasted over an open jutsu.

And being free made it taste so much better.

* * *

AN: I like Gaara/Matsuri, but Matsuri can't exist in my fic... 

So I brought in a girl LIKE Matsuri. Don't worry, she isn't going to be a major part at all. She will be in the next two chapters, and maybe mentioned once the entire rest of the fic.

Or not. I don't care really. I just figured I should complicate the mission a little.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Chill for a day, next chapter's on its way!


	23. The Depths of Darkness

AN: OK! Here we go again. Let's see… no one correctly guessed what the salve ship carries, or at least not completely correctly guessed.

Any more ideas?

You will find out at the end of this chapter. Let's just say… things are not going to go well for… a lot of people. And I am not talking about the bad guys having issues. I am going to say that this is the first chapter I will ever write that I will cringe at.

Oh, Shark actually is tasty, believe it or not. I have eaten shark and can personally saw that it tastes great. I would describe it as fattier textured fish, but not as fishy as... tuna or something.

I would recommend going to Boston, where I went for a trip and had it.

No joke, it was a restaurant called Fire and Ice, sort of a Mongolian barbeque where you choose the meat and stuff then they cook it in front of you.

I had shark, shrimp, and scallop pineapple curry.

I have never had a better curry. Pineapple is great with curry.

* * *

Chapter 22: The Depths of Darkness

* * *

Gaara stayed up the entire day with Matsuri, explaining chakra, jutsu, ninjas and his own abilities with sand. He did not tell her of Shukaku. But, then again, he never told anyone about that unless it was absolutely necessary. She soaked up the information he gave her like a sponge, learning faster then anyone he had met. She had apparently never been to a school, couldn't read or write, and, from his own guess work, had been abused by her father even before he sold her to slavery.

If Gaara ever met him…

Shukaku might feast one more time.

The rest of the group had slept, preparing for the inevitable infiltration that they would try to work out that night. Maybe they would do it that night, maybe the next or the next. But they knew they needed to get in.

There were too many unknowns.

What was that ship carrying?

Where were the disappearing people going?

If they were going here, why?

But it was the last unknown was the most disturbing.

Besides Matsuri and the captain, the cameras and the boat, there were no signs of human life. No civilian, no ninja, no nothing at all. There were obviously people in the place, but how many, how strong, how prepared?

These were the questions that would make or break the mission.

And were they Kumo ninja or not?

That information could make or break Konoha and the five elemental nations. It could lead to war… or it could just be something Kumo would take care off as soon as they found out it existed.

Kami, they hoped it would just work its way out.

Naruto had busied himself during his watch by using a kunai to poke a hole in the shark tooth he kept for Hinata. He took a string from his jumpsuit that was starting to fall apart from age and made a simple necklace out of it. It pleased him so much that he made another for himself.

He carved the initials HH into hers and NU into his.

Until he became Hokage, he refused to officially use his father's name as his own last name. He would use his mother's name until that day.

He placed his own tooth on his first necklace's string, the one holding the First Hokage's jewel, and was surprised to find that the sound they made when hitting each other was a very light ring of crystal, similar to if someone hit a tuning fork.

Not the sound one would expect from bone and gem.

He wasn't worried about the sound. It was soothing when he wasn't being stealthy, and when he was supposed to be silent he always would wrap the necklace tight to his chest with a bandage to keep it from flying around in a fight. Jiraiya had complemented him on his foresight in doing that.

Even if he was an ero-sennin, his compliments meant something.

After all, he was his father's sensei.

* * *

When night began to fall they all were awake and ready to go. Gaara made sure Matsuri was comfortable in her bed and felt safe before he was ready to leave, and then they all left the cave. Jiraiya had them all split into their separate groups to investigate possible entrances and exits of the building.

Jiraiya and Shikamaru would take the top of the cliffs, where Jiraiya would be best at staying away from guards and hidden traps.

Kurenai and Kakashi would try to spot a way around the cameras on water front, making sure that it was impenetrable before giving up on it.

Gaara and Naruto would go underwater. Gaara cringed, Naruto smirked at him. But neither really wanted that duty. It was true, their team was the least subtle, but they really didn't like the idea of drowning. Gaara gathered a lot of air in his sand bubble before they went down, and told Naruto that if he ran out of air he could stick his head into it and get a breath. Naruto thanked him and then they dove.

Kakashi and Kurenai swam back to the boat before starting to assess the camera coverage.

Jiraiya and Shikamaru went a mile back down the ocean front before climbing the cliff face with chakra and heading towards the instillation.

The first night of investigation had begun.

* * *

Jiraiya and Shikamaru proved to be a compatible team. Jiraiya, with his acute senses and powerful sensing jutsu, made sure no people were within fifty meters of them. If they did, Shikamaru was fully capable of freezing them and then Jiraiya would be able to use genjutsu on them. Strangely, as it turned out, he never had to warn Shikamaru and they never had to implement their plan of attack.

There was simply nothing up there. No traps, no paths, no doors, no building, no nothing. If anyone was getting in to the place, it was by boat. They continued to search the area and only found one interesting thing.

One, a monument shrine dedicated to the ocean. It was old and covered with moss, but the stone housed in the shrine caused Jiraiya to falter. It was an ordinary stone, covered in moss and ivy, about the size of the Konoha memorial stone. What threw him off were the names on the stone, and the title of the memorial. They must have been carved years ago and forgotten.

_To the brave men who succeeded in changing Kumo forever._

_May they be remembered as the saviors of Kumo and the bane of Konoha._

_They have provided the foundation for a new world of ninja._

A list of names followed, including a name Jiraiya recognized as the late son of the Raikage.

He had been reported missing over nine years ago…

After he signed a treaty with Konoha…

After he was embarrassed by a young Hyuga boy at a dinner party…

After Hyuga Hinata's eyes were…

Jiraiya frowned. This was more then coincidence that this memorial was here. That this instillation was underneath the rock.

_Foundation…_

"Jiraiya-sama, what does this mean? Even I am confused."

"I… am not sure… but this is no coincidence."

"Nothing ever is."

"We must finish searching the rest of the area before dawn, come."

Jiraiya turned his back on the shrine before walking into the woods. He turned back towards it once to look at it one last time, thinking about what it could mean.

* * *

Kurenai and Kakashi were having more luck then they thought possible. But still… not much.

They communicated silently with hand signals and body movements, something only trained ninja could do.

They were perfect at what they did, silently and invisibly scouting their prey.

Which was just as invisible.

They had heard the snoring of the ship's captain from the water next to the boat, so when they climbed on board, knowing no cameras were positioned to see the boat, they knew they were safe. From the deck they scouted the cameras and their rotations, making a map of the covered area at any point in time.

Three spots in the entire concrete area before the door would be unseen.

Three spots barely big enough to stand in.

But it might be enough. There would be two seconds to get to the first spot, ten meters from the boat. It was a simple jump. Then, exactly one and one half second later, the ninjas would need to jump again to avoid the camera rotation. They would jump five meters diagonally towards the door. As soon as landing they would need to do a higher jump and land on the cliff directly above the door. They would hold there for an instant before dropping and rolling into the door.

It would work, but the chance of getting caught was high.

So they had formed a better idea.

Kakashi had been joking slightly about waiting for a storm to roll in and use the waves that would obviously cover the cameras to get in the door.

Kurenai figured they had a way to lock down the door to keep water from coming in.

So they decided to test it out.

Kurenai, one of the two ninja capable of an invisibility jutsu, went to the door with a kunai. When she was there she had Kakashi create a slightly larger then normal wave, nothing conspicuous, but just enough to go over the dock and to the door.

She had been right, the door automatically closed before the water got there.

But the kunai she had jammed in the door stopped it. She pulled the kunai out before the water reached the door and it fully closed so no water got in.

They had a way in, if they could only produce a storm.

Their mission a success, with two possible ways to enter, they returned to the cave to await sunrise.

* * *

Naruto hated water with a passion. It was annoying. But, with chakra, bearable.

It wasn't that he hated all water. Just deep water. It wasn't even a deep seated fear, in fact he had never feared it before that night. Jiraiya had informed him that he would die if he dove or rose too quickly in deep water.

That freaked the hell out of him.

The pressure would affect the nitrogen levels in his blood and if he rose from the deep directly to the surface he would suffer and die a painful death of 'the bends'. It was not something he wanted to experience. So Naruto had been using his chakra to keep the water pressure off of him. Gaara was fine in his pressurized bubble, Naruto just had to concentrate and he would be fine too.

But he changed depth carefully anyway.

They had approached the underwater portion of the facility from the side furthest away from their cave. They would peek into the sides of a level then go down one and look again. No one was in the first ten floors. They were down fifty feet, they estimated, before the rooms they saw contained anything.

And when they saw... they wished they hadn't.

What they saw sickened them. Naruto fought the urge to vomit into the ocean, but knew it would probably break his concentration. Gaara, on the other hand, had no problem with emptying his stomach into the sand.

Truly, this was not possibly reality. How could something so horrible be real?

The thirteenth floor, the first floor containing anything, was a morgue.

Not a place where humans were taken after death for cleaning before their burial.

A place where humans were taken after death and…

Thrown to sit and rot.

Naruto felt like he could smell the death through the water. He had wondered why the fish avoided this area like the plague. It was horrible to look at. There were countless bodies, hundreds, on that floor. It was a single room that spanned the entire floor, thousands of square feet. And the floor was filled four feet deep with the thin, naked, half rotted bodies of the dead.

Naruto did not wish to look, but Gaara needed to return to the surface for more air and to get rid of his own vomit. Naruto held his breath as he looked at the bodies, examining them carefully. Anything he could see might be important.

But it wasn't the first floor that brought the startling fact.

It was the fifth.

There were four more floors of bodies, each more gruesome and filled then the last. The fifth floor down was so stuffed with bodies that they were pushed against the windows.

It was then, with the up close look, that Naruto realized what everyone of the people had in common. A body of a thin young man was pressed against the glass with a look of pure horror and pain on his face. Others all along the floor were the same, plastered to the windows with pain and horror on their face.

But no pain in their eyes.

No fear in their eyes.

They had no eyes.

This really made Naruto vomit. He barely maintained his bubble of pressure before he felt himself get pulled into Gaara's sand sphere for a breath.

"Gaara! Gaara, do you see? Did you see what they did?"

"Hai… they are all missing their eyes… and something else is strange about them."

Naruto slid back through the sand wall and into the water again. He glanced one last time at the bodies, trying to pick out the other thing. He found it after comparing a few bodies.

Each had a black tattoo on their forehead, similar to the caged bird seal of the branch family.

But it wasn't the traditional cross of servitude on their heads.

It was three black blades. Tear drops pointing outwards from a single point in the middle of their heads.

It was the mark Sasuke had on his neck.

Naruto knew it was important, he filed the information away to report.

Gaara had already descended to the next level before Naruto could. What they saw there was only slightly less horrific then the thousands of dead bodies above.

Humans, all shapes, genders, ages, and strengths, were floating in tubes of sickly green liquid. Naruto realized that this was where the light he saw the first night had been coming from. The human in each appeared underfed and unconscious. Naruto and Gaara continued down the levels, each the exact same as the others above it. Each holding giant tubes filled with human men, women, and children. Each with the black mark on their heads. Each equally as starved and thin.

Rows and rows of humans, each curled in a fetal position in the sick, green liquid.

Until they reached the bottom floor, over a hundred feet down.

The bottom floor was exactly like the floors above, but somehow one of the windows had been blown out and the water had destroyed most everything in the room. Naruto and Gaara were able to swim in between the busted cylinders where people used to be. Naruto assumed the ocean's currents had washed them away to be eaten by the sharks in the area. Probably why there were so many even near the place.

Naruto and Gaara split up, promising to meet back at the broken window in two minutes. They searched through the busted tubes and computers, looking for anything that might help them. He noticed a few screens on the tubes were not electronic at all, just color transparencies in front of a light that should have been there. He grabbed ten of them from the busted tubes before continuing.

And then he found it.

'It' was all it could really be called. One tube in the farthest corner of the room from the broken window, had kept its contents safe. A small hole near the bottom of the glass had allowed the green fluid out a long time ago, now the contents floated in ordinary sea water.

And what he assumed should have been a woman… had once been a woman… was not.

It was a monster.

But what he noticed about the monster, besides the claw like wings curled against its back, besides the long, grey, lifeless hair, besides the black 'x' in their face surrounded by albino white skin…

The eyes.

The eyes were open.

The eyes were not gone.

The eyes were white.

The eyes were pupilless.

The eyes were Hyuga.

* * *

Jiraiya and Shikamaru had arrived back at the cave just before the sun began to brighten the sky. The walked in to see Kakashi and Kurenai cooking some more fish for a breakfast. Jiraiya was surprised that Gaara and Naruto were not back.

He figured the underwater part would have been easy to get through in half a night.

"Kakashi, has Naruto and Gaara returned?"

"Not yet."

"Gaara-san is not back yet?" Matsuri had sat up in her bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She had woken, once again, to the smell of cooking food.

"Matsuri. Good morning. No, Gaara is not back yet. They should be soon, though…"  
As soon as Kurenai said that, Gaara came walking into the cave.

But he was different from when he left.

He was pale… much paler then usual. His face was no longer neutral or even in a frown. He looked ready to vomit.

In fact, that was exactly what he did.

Gaara collapsed to his hands and knees before dry heaving, not getting anything to come up because he had emptied himself in the last room of the facility.

"Gaara!"

"Gaara, are you ok?"

"I… we need to…"

"What? What is it Gaara?"

"We need to stop this… factory. Now!"

Everyone had been crowding around Gaara, and they suddenly turned to face the entrance. It caused both females and Shikamaru to vomit. Kakashi managed to hold it in and Jiraiya just went pale.

Naruto held the partially decayed body he had found in the last room in his arms. He stood there as water and pieces of the body felt to the ground around him. He gently laid it on the ground before standing back up, calmly walked to the entrance and finishing emptying his own stomach.

"Naruto… what… what is that?"

"That, Jiraiya-sensei, is what that building is producing. That is what that slave ship carries. That is where the people have been going. Sit down and put the food away, Gaara and I have a lot to tell you about what this place holds under the water."

"Naruto… what… is it…"

"It was once human."

"Oh Kami…"

"Gaara and I went down from the top systematically. The first twelve floors were empty as they could be. They were just enormous rooms with nothing. It wasn't until we reached the thirteenth floor when we found out what they were for storing."

"What?"

"The dead bodies."

"Nani?"

"The thirteenth level down was an enormous room filled with the bodies of the dead. Four feet deep. Just laying there like they had been casually thrown after they had no more use."

"Did they look like… that?"

"No, worse. They looked like normal humans. We went down four more floors, each was filled to the brim, over six feet, with the bodies. The last floor like this was when we noticed something about them."

"What?"

"Not one dead body had eyes."

"Why in the hell…"

"I don't know. I think we might find out when we sneak in. But that wasn't the worst part, each one had a seal on there forehead. Kakashi-sensei… it was the same one on Sasuke's neck. The three blades, like the sharingan."

"The heaven's curse seal…"

"A curse seal?"

"Yes, a jutsu developed to alter a subjects mind with thoughts of hate and anger, and if they give into the thoughts they can gain immense power."

"I see… and every one had it."

"That would explain why they are dead. There is only a ten percent chance of survival for people who are sealed by the heaven's curse seal."

"So the dead were the failed projects?"

"Projects?"

"What was in the next levels, Naruto?"

"The next ones were no less disturbing, only slightly easier to look at. They are what I mean when I say this is a factory. Tubes, from the floor to the ceiling, filled the room. Each contained a human, I would assume a live one, in a weird glowing green fluid. Each was the same as the dead ones, a curse seal on their heads and thin. I should also say that it didn't seem to matter what gender or age they were. I saw children, woman, and old men there as well."

"Kuso…"

"The rest of the levels were like that one, except the last and deepest one. A window had broken a long time ago, by the look of it, and the room had been sealed off from the rest of the facility. We searched it and I brought these…" He held out some transparencies from his jacket, which he then set aside on a rock to dry. "… and… and that body there, the only one left. I assume that the lack of green liquid caused the transformation, because the only difference in the tube was that a hole had let the fluid leak out. So I broke it the rest of the way to show you it. Oh, and one last thing."

Naruto went over and showed everyone the half decayed face.

"It was a Hyuga."

The eyes were unmistakable. No one noticed Jiraiya's frown deepen.

_Foundation…_

"That is our report. Now… I need a… I need to sleep."

_**I will protect you from dreams tonight, kit. That was something no one should have to see. It even turned my stomach.**_

_I… arigato._

Naruto smiled slightly to the surprise of everyone, and then he collapsed to the floor in exhaustion. Kurenai caught him before he hit the ground. She laid him in bed. They would get the rest of the story from Gaara.

* * *

"Hokage-sama!"

_So it begins._

This was the first week since her team had left. No message had been sent, and she took that as good news.

But it seemed like nothing she could say would appease Hiashi Hyuga.

"Hokage-sama, have they found him yet?"

Tsunade sighed. She had sent out the customary ANBU search teams to try to find Naruto and Shikamaru, the only two actually missed in the city, but knew they would never find them.

"No, Hiashi, they have not. And I really don't think I can keep my best ninja out in search parties much longer. If Naruto is going to come back, then he will. If he won't then he won't."

"Hokage-sama, you don't understand. I know Naruto can take care of himself, but his missing presence from our home is causing my daughter great emotional pain! Let me go out and search!"

"No, Hiashi, your clan requires you."

"Then let me send a team of Hyuga to help!"

"There are no Hyuga ninja not already on missions, Hiashi. I feel for Hinata, I really do. I think of Naruto as a little brother, I hate it that he left."

"No, you don't understand. Hinata goes out at six in the morning and trains with her teammate until ten at night, then she cries herself to sleep. I was watching her while she slept and she thinks Naruto left her because she was too weak! She thinks Naruto left because of HER! It is eating her up inside, and I can tell that if Naruto doesn't return soon she is not going to be the same person that he left."

Tsunade frowned. That just wouldn't do. Hinata needed to be talked to.

"Call her here, I will talk with her."

"Hokage-sama, talking won't work. I've tried daily… multiple times daily! My daughter has begun to turn cold!"

* * *

_He left me._

Wham!

_After I kissed him._

Wham!

_Why?_

Wham!

_WHY?_

WHAM!

"Hinata…"

"What?"

"You need a new training log…"

Hinata turned around to face the thing she had been hitting. She hadn't really been paying attention, it could have been a person for all she knew. And now it was destroyed, pulverized by her attacks.

If only she could have done that to herself.

Before he had left her.

_Don't worry._

_I'll be back._

_Love…_

Hinata trained as she had for the past week. Tears ran down her face as she picked a new target to hit. Life was a blur, she only wanted to grow stronger.

Maybe if she was stronger Naruto would come back.

Is that why he left?

Is that why he gave up everything, his dream to be Hokage?

Did he find out about the betrothal?

That is exactly what she thought happened.

He couldn't stand the idea of being married to her, so he left Konoha as well as her to escape the marriage contract. It sounded so perfectly realistic in her own mind.

_Love…_

"Hinata."

Hinata turned after giving one final punch to the tree she had been hitting. Normally if her father had addressed her she would have smiled at him.

Hinata hadn't smiled in a week.

"The Hokage would like to see you in her office."

"Hai, otou-sama."

So formal… like his daughter had been frozen and wouldn't warm back up.

_Naruto… why did you do this?

* * *

_

Hinata walked into Tsunade's office only a few minutes later, not knowing or caring what she wanted to talk about. That is, she didn't care until Tsunade said her first sentence.

"Hinata, Naruto would not want to see you like this."

"N…nani?"

"He wouldn't want to see you blaming yourself for his leaving or working yourself to exhaustion in anger."

"I… I…"

"Naruto would never leave Konoha for anything small, you know that. It has nothing to do with you…"

"Tsunade-sama, there are things between us that aren't that small…"

"Your engagement?"

"…Hai."

"So? When has Naruto ever run from duty? Never, that is why he is chunin. Naruto would not run away to avoid that. He would still have just over four years to run if he was going to, why now? No, Naruto would never leave this city short of anything that was absolutely needed for either the safety of others or the entire city. I only wish I knew what."

"Tsunade-sama… do you mean that?"

"Hai, I do. I know Naruto… maybe not as close as I would like, but I know him as well as I knew my own brother. They are so alike…"

"Tsunade-sama… I… I… I don't care if he left Konoha."

"Hm?"

"I don't care that he left! I don't care what he is doing right now. All I care about is that he didn't bring me with him."

"If he didn't it was for your own safety…"

"NO!"

Tsunade leaned back surprised.

"Tsunade-sama, I don't care about my safety. I just want to be with Naruto-kun… wherever he is…"

"You really love him, don't you?"

"Hai."

"Well, that's good. When he comes back, you should forgive him."

"Are you so sure he'll return?"

"Hai."

"Why?"

"Here, I'll bet on it."

"N…nani?"

"Shizune?" The assistant came into the office quickly.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?"

"I want to bet three thousand ryo that Naruto never returns to Konoha."

"But, Tsunade-sama. You said you knew Naruto would return…"

"Hai, and I never win a bet."

"What do you mean?"

"Consider it this way, Hinata. I can't win a bet, so I'll bet against Naruto. When I lose…"

"He'll be back."

"Exactly."

"Alright then, Tsunade-sama. I accept your bet."

The two women shook hands over the Hokage's desk. Tsunade saw a hint of a smile creep back into Hinata's face. Her heart, which had been growing closer to completely frozen, had begun to thaw.

Just a little.

* * *

"… that he brought back… blood types…"

"I know… I think… figuring it all…"

"Yeah… started about 13 years ago…"

Naruto stirred in his sleep and the voices stopped.

What did they mean?

Why did they say that?

But most importantly…

What was a Hyuga doing in Kumo?

* * *

AN: Figured it out yet? It gets worse. Infiltration in the next chapter, which is why this is short. Read and review.


	24. The Truth

AN: I am going to say something incredibly stupid right now. Sorry for the delay in writing this chapter. True, it has only been about a day since the last one, but I was going for one every twelve hours.

Haha. Look at me, I update bi-daily and some people update bi-quarterly.

And I apologize for being slow.

I make myself sick. Like the last chapter.

Ok, for everyone who made a guess about what is really going on? Most of you are partly right, none of you got it all right. No one seems to understand a large part of this whole thing, and today you will. Just a hint before the revelation. Many people both over estimate Kumo's scientists and many also underestimate them.

I am sad… this is going to be a sad chapter… and then some. I want to say I am sorry before hand for doing what I am about to do…

You will find out why Hinati's eyes didn't go to Hinata.

Now... the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 23: The Truth

* * *

Jiraiya the toad sage swam with more grace than one would expect from a man of his size. He had needed to check for himself all that Naruto had said.

And Naruto had not left anything out.

Jiraiya frowned as he swam, checking every floor, making sure all the data was correct. He finally arrived at the bottom floor, and he checked things Naruto would never had though to check. The cabinets along the back wall, the rest of the transparent medical reports for the tubes. The doors, the ceilings, the floors… anything that might some in handy for when they infiltrated the place.

The information he gathered from that room, from his entire dive, and from Naruto earlier… combined with the monument on the top of the mountain… and the monster transport ship…

It added up to something that made him sick to his stomach.

With disgust.

And fear.

* * *

Naruto finally woke from his troubled sleep. He kept dreaming about the underwater facility and the bodies he found there. He had never slept so poorly, and felt like he was more tired then when he had fallen asleep.

_He was in the water, once again, swimming toward the building._

_Once again, he saw the empty rooms._

_Once again, he saw the rooms filled with the human dead._

_Once again, he saw the tubes filled with humans cursed and unconscious._

_But when he arrived on the bottom floor…_

_The one in the test tube…_

_Was Hinata._

_Naruto tried to scream, but no sound left his mouth underwater._

_Hinata floated in front of him with eyes she did not have wide open and lifeless._

_Naruto vomited._

_He tried to surface, but passing the rooms again he noticed that each tube now held Hinata._

_Each dead body was that of Hinata._

_And when he surfaced, he was carrying the decaying corpse of Hinata._

And then he had woken up.

He sat against the cave wall holding his head in his hands and weeping.

**_"I tried to keep you safe, but I have less control over your dreams than I would like..."_**

Kakashi and Kurenai had gone with Shikamaru to retest the door to make sure they would be able to get in with the next storm. That left Gaara, Matsuri and Jiraiya to watch Naruto first toss in his sleep, vomit in his sleep, and finally wake up and weep. It was a shocking sight for anyone who knew Naruto.

Naruto didn't just break down when things got tough.

Naruto just wouldn't do that.

"Hey, Naruto. You ok?" It was Jiraiya. He sat down next to the crying chunin. He was never cut out to be a father, but he felt Naruto needed something. Naruto just nodded.

"You sure? What did you see down there that made you get like this?"

"Ero-sennin… that one was the only one there with eyes or open eyes."

"Yeah… I know."

"It was a Hyuga."

"… yeah."

"What if they all are?"

"I doubt that…"

"But sensei! Otou-san said that Kumo has always wanted to get their hands on the Byakugan!"

"Hai, that is true."

"What if they found a split off clan of Hyuga and are doing experiments on them…"

"I think we know that they are being experimented on, Naruto. But there is one thing you should know…"

"What is it?"

"Those transparencies that you brought back… held medical information of the test subjects. Each one you brought back had something in common."

"What?"

"They all had type AB blood."

"What does that mean?"

"It could be coincidence, but if everyone in a test tube has that type of blood it could have something to do with these experiments. Naruto, what do you know about the Hyuga's… byakugan?"

"The abilities?"

"No, the actual byakugan, the eyes and how it works."

"You need the eyes to make it work, only Hyuga eyes can have the byakugan active. If another person tried to focus the chakra into their eyes, most likely they would go blind."

"Correct, but did you know that Kumo once got a hold of Hyuga eyes a long time ago?"

"Nani?"

"Hai, they did. They assassinated a main branch member's child and took the eyes back to Kumo, where they implanted them foolishly into a young ninja."

"But… if they had that…"

"Then why do the Hyuga still worry about the byakugan when it is already lost? Because the man died trying to activate the byakugan."

"What happened?"

"He died. He did the correct seals and everything, but he just… died."

"Why?"

"There is something about the byakugan that not even most members of the Hyuga know. Your otou-san knows, though."

"What is it?"

"First, answer me this. Naruto, why didn't Hinata receive your mother's eyes upon her death?"

"Otou-san said they wouldn't work, I thought it was some sickness that she got."

"Naruto, when he said they wouldn't work, he meant to say that they would never activate byakugan."

"But… okaa-san could always activate it."

"Hai, she could… with _her_ eyes. If Hinata had had your mother's eyes, they would not have worked to activate byakugan."

"What are you saying?"

"When a child is born their eyes are already developed, you know that. But what most people don't know is that the Hyuga blood limit, contained in their eyes, is keyed to their body before birth through their blood. It makes sense, doesn't it, that a blood limit be tied to the body by blood? The byakugan, though, is the only blood limit like this. It is what makes it so incredibly powerful. When a Hyuga activates their blood limit chakra flows through their eyes, but more specifically through the tiny blood vessels in their eyes. Without the blood of the owner of the eyes, the eyes would likely backfire and shoot chakra into the user's brain, killing them. What that means is that no one, Hyuga or not, could use another Hyuga's eyes without first switching out all the blood in their body for blood from the original owner of the eyes."

"So if these people all have the same blood type…"

"Then what it might mean is that Kumo got a hold of another set of Hyuga eyes and the blood of the one who they took them from."

Naruto stared at Jiraiya. The old man had managed to bring Naruto out of his crying, but now Naruto saw the look on his face. It was one of guilt mixed with sympathy.

"Ero-sennin… what aren't you telling me?"

"I found a monument, an old one, on top of the cliff. It honored the names of a few dead Kumo ninja, including one of the previous Raikage's sons. That son, specifically, disappeared about nine years ago in Konoha."

"What does that mean, ero-sennin…"

"He vanished the night Hinata lost her eyes, Naruto."

Naruto stared at him. He had stopped crying long ago. It seemed like minutes passed by as Naruto didn't move a muscle, not one. His face was completely passive. When he started to move again… it was to change his expression from one of impassiveness to one of growing rage.

"DAMN IT, ERO-SENNIN! What are you saying? Are you telling me my nightmares have come true?"

"Your… nightmares?"

"Hai! Are you telling me that… that those people in that place are there because… because… Kami… that man... the blood…"

"_I… can't believe this kid even managed to draw blood… bastard!" He threw the kunai at Naruto and Naruto managed once again to block it, though it stuck into his foot with his inaccurate block. The ninja pulled out twelve kunai, six in each hand, and threw them at Naruto. This time he managed to block half… but he ended up with both hands pinned to the tree behind him and two more in his upper arms. The last two had hit on his right shoulder and chest. He knew he would probably die._

"_You know? You actually wounded a jonin… I think you deserve a reward. You stalled me for so long that I probably won't escape with your little friend anymore, but as a gift to you and to her I will only take her eyes and have you watch me remove them." _

_The Ninja pulled a small contraption from his pouch and walked over to the unconscious Hinata. Naruto managed to watch him pry open her eyelids before he passed out from blood loss and horror at the sharp blades the ninja was intent on pressing into Hinata's eye._

"He… he had plenty of blood to take. They could make more of her blood with a sample… it would be easy… just needed to use the same thing to make blood restoration pills…"

"Naruto?" Gaara had come over, mainly because Naruto looked about ready to pass out and was mumbling to himself.

"The… eyes… he took her eyes… and this…"

"Naruto, you don't know that…"

"THE HELL I DON'T KNOW THAT! YOU THINK SO, TOO! YOU AGREE!" Naruto had gone from sitting against a wall with a pale face to holding Jiraiya inches off the floor against the same wall. Naruto didn't even notice that red chakra was beginning to bubble from his body. "The bodies… were eyeless… because their eyes were removed…"

Now Jiraiya was confused.

"The disappearances… the rooms full of bodies… the tubes… the tubes held the survivors…"

"The survivors of what, Naruto?"

"They would come in by boat…" Naruto dropped Jiraiya and walked to the entrance and pointed at the sea. "When they arrived, their eyes would be removed. They would go through a complete blood transfusion, and then if they survived they would have the eyes implanted. I can see it, sensei. I can see it like it is happening in front of me right now. The people in the tubes have replicas of Hinata's eyes."

Gaara's eyes widened, Matsuri had gone pale. She didn't know anyone named Hinata, but whoever it was seemed important to Naruto.

"They are filled with Hinata's blood."

Jiraiya grimaced.

"And… then they are sealed… to control them and make them into… into… monsters. Then they are taken away, where to, we don't know… but byakugan equipped monsters have been leaving this place for… probably five or six years. There could be hundreds of monsters with Hinata's eyes…"

Naruto had started walking out the entrance. Jiraiya knew what he was planning to do.

"Naruto, stop!" He grabbed him by the shoulders. "You can't just go in there!"

"WHY NOT? THEY HAVE HER EYES, SENSEI! Those… those bastards… Orochimaru is there too, probably. Or he will be the next time more people are shipped in. I bet you that the day after that ship leaves with a cargo of twenty four monsters, a ship with hundreds arrive. Then they do their tests and only two hundred are left. Then Orochimaru seals the rest and only around ten percent will live. I CAN'T SIT HERE AND DO NOTHING…"

"You can and you will, Naruto. If you assault that base alone you will most likely die. Then who will bring Hinata's eyes back."

Naruto turned to face the entrance again, and saw the three missing members to their group standing in his way. Kurenai walked up to him and knelt down to look in his eyes.

"Naruto… if you and Jiraiya are right… then we need to work as a team to shut this thing down." Kakashi stepped foreword.

"Hai, if they are producing byakugan equipped monsters and sending them elsewhere, this place must be stopped immediately."

"Kakashi-san, aren't you forgetting something?" It was Shikamaru.

"What?"

"Naruto told us that it is most likely only the fluid in those cylinders keeping those people from growing into monsters themselves. If we shut this place down we either choose to kill hundreds… thousands of innocents or we will be letting lose thousands of monsters on the world. We either destroy everything, or we will be putting Konoha at a greater risk by letting these monsters free."

"He's right, the heaven's curse seal is impossible to remove. Those people will be stuck like that forever if Orochimaru changed the seal to automatically raise to its level two state."

Naruto had gone back to the wall and sat leaning against it. He stared at the ceiling of the cave, his mind torn with the new information. He didn't know if he would ever be able to think correctly again. They had used Hinata's eyes, the eyes of the most calm and shy and quiet girl he knew, to make monsters.

They would be killed.

_**I am surprised that you were able to figure that all out. I had my suspicions from the instant we saw the eyeless bodies.**_

_I didn't want to figure it out… I would have been better off not knowing…_

_**Why?**_

_I can't do anything about it._

_**Is that what they said?**_

_I can't assault the base…_

_**Alone.**_

_And? Will they come with me?_

_**Most likely, yes.**_

_Are you so sure?_

_**Are you the only one who cares about your friends? Even though Gaara barely knows Hinata, he's your friend, right? And friends help each other, right? So stop moping around and plan your attack and what you will do.**_

_Alright._

Naruto walked over to where his team now sat in a circle.

"… so it turns out that it will work, but we have no idea how long it will be before a storm."

"Alright then, we'll just wait then. The mission said it could last months, so we wait."

"Ero-sennin, I have a plan."

They all turned to Naruto. He sat down in the circle and took a small breath. The night was young, and he had only been awake for a few minutes, but he felt like he had aged years in those minutes. He had just thought Hinata's eyes would be used to profit some bastard ninja. But they were being used for something far more evil. A conspiracy that lasted nine years. Naruto was slightly sad that the man who apparently stole Hinata's eyes was already dead. He exhaled.

Now he was ready.

"Weather is impossible to predict, it could be months before a storm rolls in. But we know that these people will probably bring in more slaves as soon as this boat leaves. I suggest that if a ship arrives with more people on it, we join them and act like slaves."

"You want to have you eyes removed?"

"As soon as we are in, we have multiple options. We escape without them knowing, which is hard. Or we can do what I want to, start a mass escape with every slave taken. Make it look like the chains just broke or something and all of a sudden you have most likely hundreds of slaves running around free. No one would notice six people using the invisibility jutsu Jiraiya and Kurenai are going to teach us all until the storm comes while people are running around trying to escape. Then we would have almost free run of the place, and we could either shut it down or, the better idea, leave it alone."

The six people besides him all stared at him.

"Naruto… since when is 'leave it alone' a good idea?"

"Since our plan includes taking the original pair of eyes with us and destroying all reserve eyes. Without the originals they won't be able to make more. And if we destroy all the ones they already have made then they will be forced to stop production. This means that they will only focus on the people they are already preparing, and no more will be made. It will mean that the monsters won't be unleashed immediately, but also that we won't be killing the innocent in case in the near or distant future we find a way to remove the curse seal."

"That plan has merit, but there will be complications. We already agreed that Orochimaru will likely be in there at least when the new batch of people arrives. He is not a push over."

"No, he isn't, but the bastard won't be able to do anything. He might be a super strong ninja, but unless he wants each and every one of his slaves dead, he won't end the escape with lethal force."

"We still don't have enough information. What if they have counter measures already in place for escapes?"

"We won't know, but sealed doors are nothing for ninja. If we need to announce our presence to leave, it would be better then announcing our presence to enter."

"That makes sense. I vote we just go with whichever comes first, storm or boat."

"I second it."

"Then it is decided. Until that time we have a lot to practice on this jutsu you four need to learn for either plan to work. Naruto will have it much harder then you three, but he'll get it eventually. Kakashi will just need to see it once."  
Jiraiya gave out a laugh and slapped Naruto's back.

"Naruto, you have no idea how glad I am to not need to knock you out. If you took one more step to the entrance, I would have needed to stop you."

"Yeah… well, I am still going to leave.

"Hm?"

"I am going to climb the cliff face and check the upper levels."

"Good idea, but I'm coming with you."

"Fine, just… don't talk to me right now…" Naruto walked away, leaving a slightly hurt Jiraiya and a sympathetic team.

Matsuri looked to Gaara for information.

"Gaara-san…"

"Please… Gaara." Matsuri blushed.

"Gaara… why is Naruto so… upset? I thought he was… I don't know… really strong. He came back with a shark, not knowing what it was. Then he just broke down like that. Why?" Gaara looked over to Kurenai for help, knowing she knew Hinata much better then him.

"Matsuri, Naruto has a dear friend where we are from. Her name is Hinata. They literally grew up together, but on her third birthday someone tried to kidnap her. He only got away with her eyes. Those monsters are likely being implanted with replicas of Hinata's eyes. Hinata is the shyest girl I know, and she is also one of the kindest. Using her eyes for something like this would be like taking a beautiful piece of artwork and using it as a door mat. Naruto was hit hard because his best friend's, and probably his love's, eyes are being used for evil, something they were never meant to do."

"So Naruto is… in love with a girl named Hinata, who is blind?"

"Kinda, Naruto cared so much for her that he spent years trying to develop a technique to allow her to see without her eyes, and half a year ago he succeeded. She sees without eyes now, but he still swore to her as a child that he would get her eyes back."

"But… how could he swear something like that? He couldn't know if they still existed…"

"You don't understand Naruto, though. If he promises something, he does it."

"But what if he can't? What if they had been destroyed?"

"It wouldn't have mattered, Naruto would come up with a jutsu to restore them if they were just particles of dust, that is the kind of person he is."

"He sounds… like a kind person. I feel sorry for him…"

"He is a kind person, and a great one." Gaara frowned at the entrance, where Naruto and Jiraiya had left minutes ago. "But I hate to see what would happen to him if he failed in this… it would break his spirit to fail to recover the eyes this time. He is too close to turn back. He has even convinced us all that it is the actual mission, when we might say that we have actually accomplished it now."

"Gaara?"

"Gather information? We have done that. We could return today. But we won't, because Naruto would stay."

* * *

Jiraiya and Naruto stood on the cliff face with only a few more hours till the sun would come over the horizon and they would need to hide again. They had checked most of the surface floors already, surprised to find that they were mostly filled with computers and equipment.

No people.

No ninja.

He checked the right side and Jiraiya checked the left, making sure to not miss anything.

Jiraiya was very stressed. Naruto was on the edge, he knew. He didn't know what he would have done if it was Tsunade's eyes in there, but it would have been similar. But Hinata wasn't just Naruto's teammate, either. She was his best friend, the one he had grown up with. She was also, according to his sources, his unofficial girlfriend.

Jiraiya had nothing to compare to that, but he figured Naruto was just one short word from shoving a rasengan into the wall he stood on and assaulting the entire base.

He would have been able to do it, too. With the Kyuubi.

Jiraiya had figured that the facility was mostly run by scientists, not medic ninja. And the lack of any personnel anywhere seemed to suggest that there weren't a lot and that most of this was run by computers. Probably to avoid an information leak. Jiraiya only found one thing that was slightly interesting, a Kumo headband on a desk, suggesting that either an ex-ninja was involved, or that Kumo was actually sponsoring this.

If it was the second… war was going to come without a doubt.

Naruto signaled he was finished and they jumped from the walls was strength even other ninja would find surprising, landing in the water over a hundred meters from the shore.

Exterior examination complete, interior examination was all that was left.

Then they would be able to return home and live their lives again.

Hopefully.

Two weeks passed quickly for the team of six and their new friend.

Each and every one of them now knew Jiraiya's or Kurenai's invisibility jutsu, depending on their strengths. Naruto had also encouraged Jiraiya to teach him a slightly stronger fire jutsu, and he soon learned the Phoenix Flower jutsu. He figured a fire would be a good distraction for when they went in.

They also slightly modified the plan. Instead of all six going in the same way, whether in a storm or with slaves, three of the six were going to cut through the floor of the next to bottom most level of the instillation. They would use Gaara's sand to keep the water at bay until they could reseal the floor, so they would be able to climb through and into the next level easily. The three going in through the water would be the three who knew the lower level invisibility jutsu, Jiraiya, Gaara, and Naruto. Kurenai, Kakashi, and Shikamaru would be the ones going through the main door.

And a day over two weeks, they got their wish.

The boat that Matsuri had been on sailed away with a full hold of cursed humans. Naruto had chosen to not watch, as the fact that each held Hyuga eyes was easy to see. Luckily they had not had them active, or the team would have had a fight on their hands. The ones who had escorted the monsters to the ship had looked to be chunin or jonin level ninja.

None had headbands on.

The next day, the day of the infiltration, a boat twice the size of the past one arrived at the dock. Naruto had been right, slaves of all ages poured from the boat. There had to be at least five hundred of them.

They put the plan in motion.

Matsuri wished them good luck and promised to have their stuff packed by the time they returned so they would be able to leave as soon as possible.

* * *

Kakashi was team leader of the slave group. They went into the massive group of slaves under Kurenai's best invisibility genjutsu. It was more complex then Jiraiya's, so they would have a better chance of getting past the guards.

When they entered the door that they had checked out the weeks before, they were surprised to find the inside exactly like the rest of the area they had seen. Dark and lit by small green lights. They stayed low and spread out to make the empty spots between slaves look natural. The slaves didn't notice them at all, not even when one ran into Kakashi. He just thought he was suffering from hunger delusions and went on. The followed with the prisoners through the facility, which extended a fair distance further into the cliff then they had thought it would.

Then they arrived at a room where the children, women, and men were split up.

That was when the shit hit the fan.

* * *

Gaara had made short work of the floor of the level above them and within minutes of the others infiltration, they were in and the floor was resealed. It would be the alternate escape route if anything went wrong.

They hoped it wouldn't need to be used.

Gaara once again proved his usefulness by using a highly pressurized sand stream to cut the lock on the door. It was the same way they had entered the room. Before the door had fully opened, each ninja was cloaked in a simple genjutsu. It made them a blur in movement and completely invisible in stillness. They went carefully through the door and were stunned at the next thing they saw. Jiraiya had expected it, but it was still impressive. From the floor to the very top of the instillation there were no floors. There was one elevator that would carry a person to each floor. The door of the elevator would open up to a bridge that connected to the door of the floor's room. There was only one floor, the middle one, that had a door leading into the cliff, and Jiraiya was grateful for that. They were barely able to see the slaves walking along the bridge and into the inside of the instillation. Jiraiya motioned them to the wall and they began to walk up.

* * *

Kakashi saw families being split apart by the chunin guards. They pushed kids one way, men another and finally women in another. The way they treated the females was sickening.

So Kakashi escalated the timing of the plan.

He motioned to Shikamaru and Kurenai to begin freeing slaves. Kakashi also started freeing the people, careful to not let them know they were actually free. He finally did something that wouldn't have done normally.

He henged into a slave, a young girl.

When it was his turn to be sorted, the chunin grabbed something that he shouldn't have.

Kakashi, in the form of a sixteen year old girl, decked the guy.

Everyone in the room gasped, including Kurenai.

The chunin was on the ground with a bloody nose, not much, but Kakashi didn't want to give up his disguise just yet.

"Guys, I think we have a feisty one here!"

"You know what we do with feisty ones, girl?"

"We take them away, separate from the rest. You get to join us in the barracks."

Kakashi was casually glancing around, trying to find any cameras. Luckily, there weren't any.

That was good.

There were three guards in the room. Kakashi was next to two, Shikamaru was behind another.

Kakashi hoped he knew what to do as so as he acted.

* * *

Naruto and the secondary infiltration team had secured the primary exit. A senbon was very carefully placed so that the door would not be able to close in a lock down, but be so close that unless someone checked carefully they would not have been able to notice. They began walking into the interior of the facility.

And that was when the alarms started going off.

"Shit…" Jiraiya whispered.

_It was ten minutes too soon!_

Jiraiya motioned for them to run. And so they did, three blurs running down a hallway.

With a camera following their every move.

* * *

Kakashi had, within the span of a second, killed both guards and dropped his henge. He had turned to see if Shikamaru had followed suit, and was glad to see he had.

"Kakashi! That was too soon!"

"Did you see what they were doing?"

"… Hai."

"Let's do this, hopefully Jiraiya can handle his job with ten less minutes."

"Let's hope."

Kakashi broke one of the chains of the slaves.

"Everyone, make for the exit! This is a break out! Try to take over the ship if you can! Go now!"

Most of the slaves had already had their chains removed, and they took advantage of that.

The first slave to exit the room went down the wrong hallway.

Alarms started blaring.

* * *

Jiraiya, Naruto, and Gaara ran through the halls. Slaves were everywhere, but no one noticed the three blurs running on the walls and the ceiling. Every door they passed they took the time to look inside. Most were just computers, a few were broom closets.

Then they hit the jackpot.

A huge room was filled with computers, but it looked to be the main computers. A few scientists were running around, checking all the cameras and shouting orders through their radios. In the back of the room they found containers. The containers looked to hold about fifty small cylinders each, small enough to fit in a hand. Naruto carefully made sure no one was watching and ejected one from the container that was meant to keep the cylinders cold.

It was a pair of eyes.

He had found the replicas.

Naruto smirked as he took twenty explosive notes from his jacket. He arranged them underneath and behind the containers, the shear quantity of explosives enough to vaporize the containers no matter what they were made of.

Then Naruto saw the last cylinder. It was in the middle of the room on a pedestal like a trophy. It contained two eyes, the same as the others. A small plaque was on the bottom of it.

_The Foundation of a New Lightning Country_

Naruto felt sick, and did the first thing that came to his mind.

He grabbed the cylinder.

Instantly red lights and alarms started going off. Every eye attached to a body in the room turned to face the cylinder floating in midair, held by a slight blur in the air.

"Shit."

* * *

Kakashi had sent Kurenai and Shikamaru ahead to help the slaves board the ship and set them off. Kakashi himself was going through the upper level offices that Jiraiya had scouted out. He knew exactly where to go. He went to three levels below the top and found an empty office. The personal computer on the desk was already logged in for him.

Kakashi had never learned how to expertly work a computer, but Jiraiya had taught him all he needed to know.

He plugged the miniature hard drive he had been given into the computer and the proceeded to copy and paste the entire hard drive of the computer into it.

They would figure out what it all was later.

He sighed as a box popped up. It said he still had ten minutes to wait. Kakashi set up a few traps at the door to make sure no one entered while he was there.

Now he needed to wait.

* * *

"SHIT!" Naruto hated it when medics turned out to be competent ninjas. He had put the cylinder into his jacket, making it disappear, but it had already been too late. Instantly the room was filled with flying shurikin and kunai, all aimed to where he had once been. He looked for Jiraiya, and was surprised to find that both he and Gaara had dropped the jutsu. Naruto did as well and joined them in defeating the ninja in the room. Jiraiya, a legendary sannin, made quick work of them with Naruto's help.

"Gama Yudan!"

"Katon: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Instantly, half the room was in flames.

Unluckily, the half in flames held twenty explosive notes.

* * *

Kakashi was startled as the chair he was waiting in fell over from a large shock.

Kakashi was suddenly very worried for the other team and regretting his choice to act early.

* * *

Naruto and Jiraiya crouched behind a sheet of glass that had once been a sand wall. Gaara stood between them, casually breaking the glass back into sand with the sand he had left.

"Sorry, sensei. I acted without thinking."

"No, it was what would have happened anyway. Besides, if Kakashi acted early he should be almost done. And we are done here, so lets get out… of… here… ah, damn."  
Jiraiya and the two other ninja had suddenly gone from slightly invisible to easily seen. Jiraiya had turned to notice that the door and the half of the room not destroyed was filling with ninja, a few of which had dispelled their genjutsu. And these ninja had forehead protectors.

Kumo.

Naruto frowned, as did Gaara.

They had failed.

They had been seen, and now returning to Konoha would be very… _very_ difficult.

"Ero-sennin, what now?"

"We fight, Naruto. Fight until an opening presents itself and then escape."

"Fine, but be careful."

"Me? Be careful? What about… you?

He turned to look at Naruto after sensing something strange. Each ninja in the room was looking at Naruto. Red chakra was bubbling out of his body. Behind him four chakra tails formed. His body was completely unseen as the red chakra became almost solid and lost transparency. The shroud of chakra took the form of a red fox.

The fox smiled.

"**You two, run for the new door I am about to create. A hole will be open."**

The ninja in front of them were cowering in fear. The fox smirked.

"**You're the man who summoned the toad that day, weren't you? And now I have to save you life? Ironic. Now watch, hermit, as I show you the power I could have used against you that day."**

The ground around them started cracking and raising into the air in small pieces. Jiraiya and Gaara stood behind the red fox, not knowing what it was going to do.

Then, out of nowhere, balls of light began to appear. They were floating towards the fox. Then all four tails folded over the foxes head to point directly in front of his mouth. The balls of light began to collect there. The instant the energy was wider then a fist, Jiraiya had Gaara cover them with a wall of sand.

As if that would do them any good if it was pointed at them. Jiraiya had never felt such condensed chakra, like an entire ninja village's chakra had been formed into a ball.

Outside the sand, the enemy ninja watched in horror as a black ball of energy formed in front of the fox's mouth, just a bit larger then a human head.

But the chakra it gave off…

One ninja just threw up.

And that was before the killing intent filled the room.

Then not one ninja was standing.

Then, slowly the black ball began to shrink and shrink till it was the size of a child's fist.

Then Naruto, the fox, ate it.

The ninja stared.

* * *

Kakashi was getting very worried. There were ten seconds left before he could join the rest of his team on the outside. But he had just felt an amazing amount of chakra, and then felt it become condensed. That much chakra...

It was not a good sign.

Five seconds.

Two.

One.

* * *

The fox spat it out.

The ninja facing him never knew what hit them.

No one would ever know what him them.

Except Naruto.

And he felt no pity for them.

* * *

Kurenai and Shikamaru were on the slave ship and helping the slaves get started on going towards Kumo, the nearest city, when it happened.

A huge explosion blew the top of the cliff into rubble.

Everyone was silent as three forms flew into the air from the top of the cliff and towards the forest. It all seemed so surreal as tons of earth were sent flying by who knows what.

Kurenai then saw a lone figure break out of an upper floor window and fall into the ocean.

No one noticed that he was actually running along the top of the water. Kurenai glanced at Shikamaru before they both disappeared and ran towards their hideout.

They had arrived instants before rubble created a massive wave that sent the slave ship out to sea. If that one piece had hit seconds later, the ship would have already been smashed by the other rubble.

The plan had gone wrong.

And it was probably Kakashi's fault.

* * *

Naruto landed next to Gaara and Jiraiya, the chakra covering him gone. He felt like shit, like his body had been being ripped apart while he had been using the full power of the Kyuubi.

"Jiraiya, what now?"

"Well… no one really survived who saw us. We can still probably return to Konoha now."

"No, we can't." Gaara was looking at the sky as dust fell, causing the setting sun to turn red.

"Why not, Gaara?"

"Cameras."

"Shit, he's right, Naruto."

"But… but… I have her eyes! I have them! Let me go back!"

"They know us three were there, Kakashi and his team were probably not discovered. We'll send them back with them."

"Damn it, ero-sennin! I NEED TO GO BACK!"

"If you do, it will mean war! Are you serious about becoming Hokage? If you are then you can not return to Konoha for at least a year, probably more!"

"But… Hinata-chan…"

"If you really love her, Naruto, then give her up for her own safety. Going back to her puts her and the entire city at risk. If we were caught on camera then at least I would be recognized, and I think you and Gaara would be as well. Tsunade would either declare war by saying we are legit Konoha ninjas, or she would say what she should, that we are missing ninjas with a vendetta against Kumo. If we were in the city at that moment, we would be killed."

Naruto stared at the ground.

"Fine…"

"LOOK! THERE THEY ARE!"

A ninja came through the trees, but not a friendly one. He threw a kunai at Gaara, who caught it in his sand and threw it back. The ninja fell to the ground with a kunai in his heart.

"We have been spotted again, we must leave."

"I'll be right back." Naruto was off, this time to fulfill a promise and create a new one.

* * *

Kakashi, Kurenai, Shikamaru, and Matsuri all paced the floor waiting for the return of the other team. It had only been a few minutes, but that was ages in ninja time.

"Where the hell are… Naruto!" Naruto came flying through the door covered in blood.

His own blood.

No one had bothered to tell him that when he had felt his body ripping itself apart, it really had been.

"Kurenai, we were spotted. You guys are supposed to return to Konoha by the same route we took here, we'll lead off pursuit. And here…" He tossed her a cylinder. "Give those to Hinata. Tell he… tell her I'll be back, ok?"

"Naruto…"

"It wasn't your guy's fault that we were spotted. I did something stupid and forgot that important things had booby traps usually. But mission accomplished, anyway. See you in a few years."

"Wait, where is Gaara-san?"

"He's with us."

"Take me with you!"

"You'll be safer with them…"

"No, I'll hold them back. Gaara is the only one who can carry me and himself on his sand!"

Naruto looked at Kurenai and Kakashi. They nodded, so he offered his back to her and she climbed on.

"Naruto…" It was Shikamaru.

"Shikamaru, I know you guys can't tell anyone what we did or where we are, but please… take care of Hinata for me. And Gaara's siblings. I don't know how they'll take it."

"Hai, and when you come back… I'll take you for some ramen."

Naruto smiled at him, his trademark foxy grin.

His normal mask betrayed his emotions as a tear ran down his smiling face.

And then he was gone.

* * *

Two weeks later three very weary and sad ninja arrived at the gates of Konoha. They had just come back from a top secret mission to Suna, or so everyone would think.

They were taken directly to Tsunade's office.

Tsunade turned to face the opening door, and as soon as she saw the first face she smiled wider then she ever had before.

That was… until she saw their faces.

And then their report.

Tsunade was forced to stop drinking sake a week later by Shizune.

* * *

Kurenai knocked on the Hyuga estate door. She was not surprised to see that it was a branch member who opened it. She was escorted to Hiashi Hyuga. When she arrived she waited till Hinata was in the room.

Then she drew out the cylinder.

"I can't say when. I can't say how. But this is a gift from Naruto."

Kurenai was crying as she handed Hinata the cylinder. She looked at it for a few minutes, recognizing the contents as the only things they could be.

Hiashi was smiling and crying tears of joy.

Hinata…

Was just crying with no tears.

"Kurenai-sensei… why isn't Naruto-kun here?"

Kurenai just stood and left, leaving the question unanswered. Hiashi frowned at that.

"Kurenai-sama! Where is Naruto?"

She stopped as she was about to leave.

"Naruto… he'll be back… someday."

Hinata ran from the room in tears. She ran to her room where she fell on her bed, clutching the last gift Naruto had ever given her. The first thing he had ever promised her.

But it wasn't worth it… not without him.

"Naruto-kun… I… I p…promise you… I will not…will not use m…my eyes until y… you come b… back."

_I want my first true sight to be of you._

_I promise it will be you._

_And I never go back on my word._

_Because... that is also my nindo._

She cried herself to sleep as thoughts of her lost prince ran threw her mind.

_Kami-sama… please bring him home safe… please…_

* * *

AN: I... am ashamed. Next chapter will be after a time skip.


	25. Years Away from Home

AN: I am starting to write this after reading a few reviews for the last chapter. I am glad very few of you hate me!

Yeah!

I am sad that my three year time skip (about) lasted about… oh… six hours.

Time sure does fly when you are… um… what was I doing?

Oh, to answer DoWnEr, or whatever.

The Hokage's role is to protect the village as a whole, and if, by sacrificing a few, you can save thousands it is your duty to do so.

It is the duty of any leader to do this.

The Hokage does not get the simplicity of a small team of ninja, where there are no guarantees and saving a friend comes before the mission objectives.

If she could advert war to prepare for three extra years, giving her people a better fighting chance considering the hit they took in the invasion, then it was her duty to do everything she could think of to make it so.

Screwing Naruto, Jiraiya, and Gaara.

But, hey, three years can pass in an instant.

Or six hours.

Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 24: Years Away from Home

* * *

Konoha, the village hidden in the leafs, sits majestically in the middle of Fire Country. The village itself has changed little over the years, in fact very few things ever change at all. The only addition to the city is years was the new face on the Hokage Monument. The face of the Fifth Hokage looked down upon the city protectively, mimicking the faces of the four other next to her.

But the actual face of the Fifth Hokage was currently not protective at all.

Just angry.

Angry at the world and all its problems.

But most of all, angry at her luck for being Hokage at this point in time.

What could very well be the opening of the next Great Ninja War.

Tsunade, the Fifth, smirked at her city. For three long years she had gone without the only person that made life in this dreary town livable. So in her free time she had formed the city into exactly what it needed to be, a city of warriors. Each and every ninja in her town would be ready, at a moments notice, to defend their city. And they would need to, most likely within the coming months. Before winter, most definitely. December was only a few months away, and her informants in the area told her to expect them sometime within two or three months. This was June... so hopefully the war would be short and the new year could come in to peace.

Yeah right. She wasn't that lucky.

But soon… very soon… the missing two from her city, the ones she had personally banished, would return.

They were on their way now.

For three years they had trained in the wilderness, hiding away from ninja of every city until the day when they could return. That day was almost upon them and Tsunade couldn't wait anymore.

Their arrival and pardoning would only hasten the inevitable.

War with Iwa and Kumo, and maybe a few other smaller nations that wanted in on the killing.

Three years ago, Tsunade had done something that she counted as the worst thing she had ever done. She had sent six ninja to spy on who she thought was Orochimaru. When it turned out it was both him and Kumo in league with each other… to maintain the idea that Konoha knew nothing and delay Kumo attack, she was forced to declare three of them missing ninja and that the mission had had nothing to do with Konoha as a village. That no one had ever seen them in weeks.

It was true to a point.

She was basically telling everyone that had ever known any of them that they were traitors of the worst kind.

_Betrayal._

_Abandonment._

Which they weren't. They weren't even close to being traitors. They were the opposite.

They were heroes.

And that day... when she had gathered the people of Konoha, telling them of the betrayal of two chunin and a sannin... she vowed she would make up for that.

Tomorrow would be the day.

They would come back, and they would be recognized for the heroes they were.

_I can only pray that they can forgive me for what else I must do at the same time…

* * *

_

Three ninja flew through the trees, waiting for something.

Looking for something.

But the problem was...

They had no idea what the something was.

It was, in fact, the most vague mission they had ever been sent on.

They had just been told to patrol the Grass, formerly Sound, and Fire territory boundary. And that, when they saw 'it', they would know what to do.

Know what to do?

Shino Aburame was slightly pissed at the vagueness of the mission, and was tempted to just return with the rare bug he had found and call it a success of the mission parameters. But it wasn't his call. And besides, he was always slightly pissed off and had been for years.

Three, to be exact.

He had refused the offered position as team leader for this mission, as he did for every mission. That spot was reserved for someone who, he had been told, didn't deserve it. But still... even if he never returned or was proven to be the traitor he was called. That spot would be his forever. And so the leader's position for all team eight missions was empty, the secondary leader's position filled by their team's sensei.

Decisions were up to Kurenai.

And she told them to keep going.

They had been at it for a day, and nothing was out of place.

Which was kind of interesting, considering the very delicate relations between Konoha, Suna and the rest of the ninja world.

Only one person remained hopeful that the situation between Konoha and Kumo would work itself out. The ever optimistic member of team eight.

Hinata Hyuga, the heiress of the Hyuga clan. The girl had changed a lot over the years, growing into a bright young woman, beautiful in every possible way imaginable. She had been asked on more dates then any other girl in Konoha. She had grown her hair out, and looked a lot like her okaa-san, but different in very acute ways. She was not as out going as her mother once was, and not as trusting, either. But she had the hair of her mother, and some said her figure resembled her. Her sister would laugh and say that Hinata's figure resembled her otou-san's more then her okaa-san's. But they were just plays, Hinata was lithe and beautiful.

But she wasn't asked out just because of her beauty.

It was also because she was, arguably, the best young female ninja in Konoha. She had achieved much in three years, becoming a chunin to follow her teammates, defeating her cousin in a fair duel, and creating her own juken style attacks. She jumped through the trees, searching around her team for chakra signatures. She had become extremely adept with her altered form of sight, and was able to see chakra over long distances, through trees and walls, and was able to identify people she knew from their chakra. She had upgraded her ninja outfit to a less bulky coat which was actually a larger chunin vest, lilac in color, but she kept her black training pants and shirt. It did nothing to aid her beauty, like Sakura and Ino had done with their styles as they had aged, but instead tried its best to hide the real Hinata.

It was not an unconscious decision on her part.

Shino, the young man behind her and self appointed body guard of the heiress, had barely changed his styles. The only difference was his oversized coat now had a hood that covered his hair. He still wore sunglasses, he still covered most of his body, and he still never laughed or smiled.

He hardly ever talked, either.

Not saying more then five words at once.

For three years.

That was one of the changes she could have lived without.

But she had no right to complain, she had changed in less savory ways as well.

Three years ago she had grown cold to everyone around her. She didn't lash out at them, but she never opened herself up either. She had thrown herself into training, annoying her family and sensei to no end. When they tried to talk to her about it, she would not respond.

They knew why she did it.

She wanted to be strong when her love came back.

Around the second year she began to open up again, finally having a good cry with the Hokage, who she became friends with. They both missed her love terribly.

And while Tsunade was not willing to take back the announcement that he was a missing ninja, she admitted she wanted him home.

Conflicting ideas, but Hinata let her have them.

It was wise of her to separate her job from her personal life. It would probably save lives.

She had no idea how right she was.

It was only a year ago that people started to notice her beauty. Where she had always been 'that shy little girl who was kind of cute', now she was 'that hott girl who turns down everyone'.

Why couldn't the world just take a hint?

She was already taken… in more ways then one.

In fact…

She was to be married in just under six months.

If only the groom would come back to her, so she could tell him her feelings... and hopefully receive _something_ in return.

_Kami-sama, oh please... please don't let it be hate... I would even settle for apathy over hate!_

_Oh, Naruto-kun…_

As if on cue, three chakra presences came within range of her vision, they were coming from Grass and towards Konoha.

She didn't recognize any of them.

"Kurenai-sensei, three unknowns coming from grass country. 100 meters, ten o' clock."

"Ambush. Go."

The three ninja vanished.

Hinata had disappeared, but not left the area. She was busy setting trip wires, explosive notes, smoke bombs and flash bombs. Shino, she knew, already had his insects digging pit traps and weakening tree limbs. Kurenai would be wrapping kunai in explosive notes.

They would all throw to kill.

It was an order from the Hokage. If the enemy came from north, and they attacked first or made motions to attack, kill them.

It would save their lives.

Hinata appeared next to Kurenai to collect six kunai.

"Sensei, 30 meters, same direction, same heading."

"Hai."

Hinata was ready. She was using a weak genjutsu to help hide herself in the shadows of the twilight. She saw the ninja approach, calm and confident.

They wore Kumo headbands.

Two men, one woman. They were not prepared for their deaths.

It was Kurenai who faced off with them, to give them the only warning they would receive.

"You are breaking the temporary truce, Kumo nin. You are in Fire Country. Leave or I will be forced to kill you."

"Really? Fire Country? I was told this was Lightning Country, or it will be in a few months."

"Is that a no?"

"No what? I have no reason to leave."

"Fine."

The three ninjas were surprisingly fast, too fast to be caught by her initial salvo of kunai. The explosions ripped through the trees, but the ninja were already too far away to be shredded by splinters the size of an arm.

They were surprised, however, when they fell into traps. One by one. One man tripped over a trip wire in his rush and fell right onto a tree limb that had been fine minutes ago. Now, the limb was hollow. He fell to the ground, where he became trapped in a pit lined with explosive notes.

Shino sighed as he watched the man's arm fly out of the hole with the explosion. He never enjoyed killing people in such a... violent way. His insects never got to eat this way. He had started to feed them off of flesh, as all Aburame did if they were going to be ninja, after he had achieved complete union with his hive's mind. The chakra absorbed directly from the energy in the cells of living flesh, human or otherwise, was much stronger then simply sucking just the chakra from the chakra coils.

His insects could do both at once, destroying an opponent physically and wrecking any chance of recovery. His insects had become the strongest in the clan from this, and they would continue to become stronger.

The woman, Kurenai's target, actually decided to make a fight of it. She fought, kunai to kunai, against Kurenai. She was a jonin in ability, and Kurenai felt herself being overwhelmed by the strength of the woman.

So Kurenai used her own strength.

She disappeared into thin air, confusing the woman she had been fighting.

Confused until the woman found a kunai in her back, she winced in pain and turned to continue the fight, but no Kurenai was in sight.

And she couldn't look long, either, with the explosive note on her back about to go off.

Hinata smiled, knowing the two explosions meant only her target was left to go. She decided to engage him in face-to-face combat.

It was her mistake, one of the few mistakes she had made as a chunin.

The man was an expert in taijutsu, and despite her speed he was getting hits on her. That was something only Lee had been able to do for the last six months.

And then he kicked her in the chest. She flew back into a tree, surprised at his speed and power. No one had beaten her in a long time, this man must have been an ANBU or at least a special jonin. He drew a small blade and charged her with a smirk. Hinata tried to move, to get up and fight, but something kept her down. She didn't know what it was, but it felt like she was frozen, not even able to move her head.

_Genjutsu!_

She couldn't even close her eyes to block the sight from her mind.

She still had no eyes.

She watched as time slowed before her, the man with his blade posed to kill. And in an instant, the man was gone.

Like he had never existed.

Well, like his whole body never existed. There were pieces of him every few feet. The one thing that surprised her was the rather small piece of flesh with a kunai in it.

A kunai she had not seen in years.

"What… happened…"

Then she sensed it. She saw it. She _felt_ it in her very core.

That chakra.

_His_ chakra.

She began to notice things she had not moments ago. She saw a man standing in the tree across from her. He had red hair and the tattoo for love on his head. He wore a slashed Suna headband. A girl stood next to him, crouched on the limb like a tiger ready to pounce. But her face held a smile with no evil intent. Each wore similar clothing, best suited for the desert. Maroon and loose pants, similar shirts, and brown vests. The man's vest was that of a chunin.

Another man came out from behind a tree, white long hair and a fancy red outfit told Hinata exactly who he was. He actually gave her a smile, and then a look over, and then a lecherous smile.

Yeah, she knew him.

Then, five feet in front of her, another man appeared. He held a kunai in his hand that had been designed for him. His face carried the same whisker marks it had three years in the past, except for the possibility that they had become more noticeable. His hair was slightly longer, but no less yellow or naturally spiky. He had traded in his orange outfit for one of black and green, with his green chunin vest proudly on top. Black loose pants like the man in the tree's. A forest green shirt that clung to him like a second skin, showing the results of his three years away. He wore a slashed Konoha headband like it was something to be proud of. His smile had not changed one iota.

Kami, he was handsome.

Sexy, even.

"Hey, Hinata-chan. Guess what? I came back! Just like I promised."

She didn't know what to say. She just stared at him. It certainly wasn't the genjutsu, as the man had already died. Luckily for her, her team popped out of trees behind her.

"Hinata, are you… Naruto?" Kurenai stared at him like she was looking at a ghost of the Fourth Hokage.

"Hey, Kurenai-sensei, Shino, good to see you both. Guess what time it is!"

"It is eight thirty four, Naruto." Shino's longest sentence in three years. Naruto laughed a bit, while Jiraiya almost fell down from the horrible joke. Gaara didn't even move.

"Arigato, Shino, but that is not what I meant."

"Is it… are you coming back?" This was Kurenai, still with a shocked expression on her face.

"Yep! Time we set things straight with Konoha. Bachan's orders." Naruto moved a bit closer to Hinata, only for Shino to take a step forward, his insects buzzing in confusion and anxiety.

"Naruto, I have not attacked you and Jiraiya because Kurenai appears to know something I do not. I was informed that you betrayed Konoha and were a kill on sight A ranked missing ninja. Why should I not do as I was ordered?" Shino drew a kunai. The longest string of words anyone could remember him saying was not something to be happy about.

Naruto's smile vanished.

"You… really believe I would betray you all? My village? My friends?"

"The Hokage said you did, Naruto. What I believe means nothing." Shino sounded resigned, but his stance faltered.

Naruto's smile came back.

"Well, at least you believe in me, then, right?"

"I… I never thought you would betray us, no. I... still do not."

"Well, let's set up camp. Then I can tell the whole story. You'll either hear it now, or when we return to the city. That is why you were sent here, right? We were told a team would come and escort us back."

"Hai, that is why we're here, Naruto. It… it is so good to see you four back. How are you, Matsuri?"

"I am great, Gaara-kun is teaching me Doton jutsu and I can already walk on water!"

"Gaara-_kun_?"

Matsuri blushed. Gaara smiled slightly. They came down from the tree on a cloud of sand.

Hinata was still sitting at the base of the tree, staring in awe at Naruto. He noticed this, and turned back with a look of concern. Her look was so blank it could have been that she had a concussion.

"Hinata-chan? Are you ok? Did you break something? Did you hit your head? Does it hurt anywhere? Kurenai-sensei, she isn't answering me!"

"Give her more then a second to answer, Naruto."

"N… n… n… n…"

"No? You're fine?"

She nodded.

"Well then, my next question is different. Why are you still wearing that headband when I found your eyes?" Naruto had his arms folded over his slightly more muscular chest. Hinata just stared. Hinata couldn't answer if she tried, it wasn't a yes or no question. And right now the only thing she could do was barely nod or shake her head. Right now she wasn't going to break eye contact or concentration with Naruto. If she did he might vanish as he did every night in her dreams.

"Tsunade said it would likely be a month off duty before she would be able to actually use them after they are put in. Naruto, she was waiting for a certain someone to come back before she put them in."

"Oh, really? Who?"

"Baka." Naruto stuck his tongue out at his sensei, eliciting a giggle from Matsuri. In most ways, he still hadn't grown up after three years. But in others... well, they would see.

"Well, I have another present for you anyway!" Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out a sharp bone tied to a string. Kurenai smiled at it, knowing exactly what it was. Naruto sat down next to Hinata leaning against the tree. He held it out to her.

"Here, it's a tooth. I pulled it from a shark that was bigger then me. He had a mouthful of those things, so I thought I'd give you one. See, it has your initials in it. I have one, too." He held out his own necklace. "See?"

Hinata nodded. She grasped the necklace like it would run away, but never looked at it. She just stared at Naruto.

"Well you're talkative, Hinata-chan. I'd almost think you weren't happy to…" Naruto stopped talking when Hinata passed out. "Oh, just great. I'm back to square one."

"Hm, square one? Hinata looks like she is Konoha's most beautiful ninja, maybe she moved on." Gaara smirked at him. Naruto did not enjoy the playful jab and, in a flash, Gaara was on the ground trying to pin Naruto with his sand, but was not managing it quite well.

"Gaara-san is partially right, Naruto." Shino caused Naruto to freeze in mid punch, begging Kami that it was not the part about moving on. "Hinata is very popular in Konoha for being an excellent shinobi and a beautiful girl. But she… has not agreed to go on one date yet."

"How many was she asked on?"

"In the past year? About two..." Naruto gave a sigh of relief. "...a day... on average."

"NANI?"

"One a day in the winter months, three or four in the summer. Different clothing and all."

"But she never went on one? Not one? Did Sasuke-teme ask her out?"

"Sasuke Uchiha has a girlfriend who would neuter him if he cheated on her. I took her out to eat twice to give her an excuse for a few of them, other then that, no."

"You're a great friend, Shino." Naruto had stood up and, before Shino could stop him, given him a hug. Shino went completely tight and stiff, but after a few moments it was like Naruto had never let at all. He loosened up and returned it.

His hood and glasses covered the fact that he had twin trails of tears running down his face. His best friend was back.

"Better watch it, Naruto. If Hinata wakes up and finds you hugging Shino she might get the wrong idea."

"Screw you, ero-sennin." Naruto picked up Hinata and they all walked to a place to make camp. Hinata was completely limp except for her hand, it was clenched so tight around the shark tooth necklace that her knuckles were white. Naruto smiled at that. He bent down and whispered into her ear.

"Glad you like it."

_Maybe she really will want to marry me._

_**Heh. She doesn't have a choice, remember?**_

_But that doesn't mean that she would like it! I want her to want me as much as I want her._

_**You have no idea how stupid that just sounded.**_

_Baka kitsune, you need to lighten up. If I love her and she doesn't love me it would be worse then if neither of us were in love. Then it would be a business like marriage and we might both get along. But she might hate me after those three years..._

_**I doubt it, her actions were more from shock then hate. And the way she clutches that necklace…**_

_BAKA! That's what I was saying! Maybe I have a chance! That's what I said at the beginning!_

_**Be more specific next time, and who is the baka? The kitsune with thousands of years under his belt or the fifteen year old with a crush.**_

_If this is a crush, I hope I never fall in love. The feelings would kill me._

**_I was just making a point, you are very much 'in love'. Now stop it with the joyful feelings... you're making me sick.

* * *

_**

They made camp in a small clearing. Gaara showed off a little by creating an adobe hut capable of housing them all, it even had three rooms. A kitchen, a guys room, and a girls room. Matsuri showed her appreciation in the same way every time he did this.

With a kiss on his cheek.

And, like every time before it, Gaara would blush and give a tiny smile.

And Naruto and Jiraiya would laugh.

Naruto lit the fire pit of the house with the jutsu Kurenai had watched him learn all those years ago. It was time for some answers.

"So… what have you four been doing for… just shy of three years, now."

"Well, Kurenai, we were…"

"Ero-sennin, wait for Hinata to wake up."

"Fine." Kurenai laughed at that. Naruto was giving orders to a sannin. Jiraiya noticed her laugh and tried to defend himself.

"Kurenai, if you had to deal with the kid for three years, you would avoid arguments at all cost, too. And Gaara always takes his side, it is like the jinchuriki are against me."

Shino and Kurenai stared at Matsuri, who seemed unaffected from the mention of a demon from he spot leaning against Gaara's shoulder.

"You told her, didn't you Gaara."

"The first day."

Kurenai sighed in relief. They were a nice couple, and she would hate to see Matsuri run screaming from Gaara for a demon that was not his fault. Naruto smirked at Jiraiya.

"Yeah, you just make those excuses because I put you in the hospital for a few weeks that one time and you don't want it to happen again."

"Naruto, you put him in the hospital?"

"Yeah, he was trying to get me to control my fifth tail and it hurt so much a forgot where I was swinging." Jiraiya lifted up his shirt and chakra infused chain mail. A huge scar came from his right shoulder to his left side of his stomach. It looked like the mark of a massive claw.

"Yeah, if it wasn't for Gaara I would have probably gone crazy. It was not a good time. He was unconscious for a week and I blamed myself."

"We all thought he was dead."

"But he came back, just like a weed."

"LIKE A BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE! NOT A WEED!" Jiraiya looked like he had tried to tell them many times not to use the weed analogy, because Gaara and Naruto were sharing a smirk while Jiraiya made motions to draw a kunai. He didn't though, and calmed down. "But Naruto is right about one thing, I never want a repeat of that. That was the second time I was nearly killed. I don't need any more near death experiences anytime in the near or distant future."

Hinata finally awoke with a sore back and a very comfortable pillow. She smiled and sighed, not being able to see anything without her jutsu on.

"Hm…"

"Oh, you're awake... Hinata." Kurenai was close to laughing. Hinata was caressing her 'pillow' in a way that was not very appropriate. Jiraiya had his notepad out and was jotting something down. Shino turned awake with a blush on his face and Matsuri giggled.

"Hm… sensei, when did you bring a pillow on trips?"

"Ano… Hinata? That… isn't a pillow."

"What is it, then?" Hinata still had the breathy, blissful tone to her voice. She had never been so comfortable. That was, until she felt her hand brush over something that wasn't fabric.

It was skin.

Naruto's hand, to be exact.

Hinata had been caressing his lap, and his hand was covering a special part of it that seemed to either not like her hand or liked it very much.

"Sh…Shino?"

"No, I'm over here." Shino was facing away from the group, trying to stop blushing. Hinata should know never to rub near that part of a man.

"Then…"

"Guess who, Hinata-chan." Hinata ran through a few hand signs and then her sight returned to her. She was laying in a lap, she had been stroking… somewhere she probably shouldn't have been. She turned her head to look at the face of the person whose lap she was in.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Good guess!" Naruto smiled at her.

"I'm not... dreaming? That was real?"

"Nope, this is the real me. What do you think?"

"NARUTO-KUN!" Suddenly Naruto was on the ground with a very beautiful girl on top of him. He smiled as her arms wrapped around him and her face buried into his chest. He also noticed that he had been pushed to the floor faster then most ninja were able to move themselves. Hinata must have been training. His face was only inches from his and the smile on her face was one he had never seen before, one of complete contentment and... dare he say? Love?

He hadn't felt this good in years.

Literally.

"Hinata-chan…"

"Naruto-kun… you're so hot."

Naruto blushed even more then when she had been touching him, which was slightly awkward now that he thought about it. He was glad for those loose pants.

"Ano… arigato, Hinata-chan."

"No, Naruto-kun, you… you're on fire."

"Um... sure, Hinata-chan."

"Naruto, she's saying your vest has burst into flames."

"NANI?"

Naruto jumped up and threw the chunin vest to the ground before running through a few signs. Water came from Kurenai's open water bottle, expanded slightly, and then drenched his vest.

"Damn, that was my water."

"That was my jacket!"

"Oh, Naruto-kun… gomen…"

This time it was Naruto who tackled Hinata to the ground, this time away from the fire.

"Hinata-chan, don't worry about it. It was just a vest. I notice you are wearing one as well. Purple?"

"Lilac." Naruto didn't have a chance to comment as Hinata did something she had done only once before. She planted her lips onto Naruto's. On purpose. Naruto had the same reaction as the first time, except this time… he was on top. He was slightly shocked, his eyes wide open, but then he closed his eyes and deepened the kiss. He drew back a moment later.

"Hinata-chan… I missed you." Naruto kissed her this time.

"You have no idea how much I missed you, Naruto-kun. I'm a chunin now."

"You deserved it the first time."

"Arigato, but I did get it now."

"Kami-sama, you changed."

"In a good way?"

"To make things simple, I'll say yes. But if you really wanted to know, I would say that you changing in a good way would be an understatement of the highest degree. Like saying people getting married is a 'good' thing. Or a baby being born is a 'good' thing."

"Naruto, are you hinting things to her?" Jiraiya gave a small laugh. "You need to be more subtle."

At that moment both chunin seemed to realize exactly where they were, on the floor with Naruto on top of her straddling her waist, and exactly who was watching, her sensei that had been like a mother, her teammate who had been like a brother, and a pervert. Naruto was about to get up when Hinata did something so out of character he would never forget it.

She pulled him back down and kissed him again. When she broke the kiss she didn't seem to care that anyone was watching, or that they were in a compromising position.

"I'm not done saying hello yet, Naruto-kun."

It took about three more minutes for Hinata to let Naruto get off of her. Hinata was completely red now that she was fully awake and noticing that her friends and sensei were staring at her like she had just done something completely weird.

Which she had.

Naruto was actually kind of glad he never had to answer Jiraiya's question about his not so subtle hints.

"Alright, so you all want the story of what happened. Have a fish…" Naruto had brought some in and roasted them. "… and take a seat. It's a long story."

"Three years long?"

"Heck yeah, but it felt like forever."

* * *

AN: This is the shortest chapter to date, but the last one was extra long, so no regrets. Figured I would get this out there tonight to sort of tie up the last chapter with some happiness and fluff.

AN2: THE SITE BLOCKED ME FROM UPDATING FOR FOUR FRICKEN HOURS!

Enjoy it anyway.


	26. The Years Gone By

AN: Not much has changed since two this morning. FLASHBACK CHAPTER. Plus a revelation.

* * *

Chapter 25: The Years Gone By

* * *

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Naruto Uzumaki, Gaara of the Desert, Jiraiya the great toad sage, and Matsuri the ex-slave girl ran through the woods as if the shinigami itself was on their heels.

In a way it was.

And they were doing everything they could do to slow it down and get away.

"Ryuusa Bakurya!"

And they were slowly gaining ground.

Slowly.

"Doton: Swamp of the Underworld!"

They had been on the run for hours now, only stopping long enough to use a jutsu or two.

Or three or four.

Naruto would create hundreds of clones and henge them to look like the entire team, then send them in all directions while some attacked their hunters. If one came within sight of the real party he would be eliminated by Gaara instantly so as not to allow anyone to report back. Jiraiya randomly placed swamps to trap careless followers.

At least fifty Kumo ninja were still following them, and they were still at least half a day from the border at their rate.

"They know they need to stop us, we know too much."

"Well, they can go screw each other for all I care! We aren't dead yet!"

Naruto formed a series of hand signs.

"Katon: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" The forest burst into flames, providing a wall of flame between them and the pursuers. They were getting tired, running for hours on end with continuous fighting at the same time. Gaara was the worst off, having to carry Matsuri on his cloud of sand if they were to run at top speed. Matsuri was quite sick of being nearly dropped by the sand whenever Gaara used a jutsu and his control on the cloud faltered for a moment.

But they kept running.

"Gaara-san!" Matsuri was barely suspended in the air at all, and Gaara barely managed to get below the low flying cloud before it completely collapsed to the ground like the sand it was. It was only then that Jiraiya and Naruto noticed how heavy he was breathing, how he was soaked in sweat.

As soon as they saw this they noticed that they, too, were breathing hard and sweating.

"Shit. Naruto, I'll stall them here, you guys need to go!"

"No, damn it! You'll end up fighting twenty jonin and getting fried! We need you around if we are going to survive outside of Konoha!"

"Naruto's right. I'll stay."

"Gaara-san!"

"Gaara, you aren't going to stay either… no… wait…"

The sounds of pursuit began to reach them.

"Naruto?"

"Ero-sennin, use that jutsu you used to make the cave! Now, here, down!"

"Doton: Earth Moving Jutsu!"

Jiraiya slammed his hands into the ground, creating a pit beneath the ninja that they immediately fell into.

"Naruto, this had better be a damn good idea…"

"Conceal your chakra!"

Gaara had barely any left, but he moved all he had left to his bodies core, calming and effectively hiding him. Jiraiya did the same. Naruto did a quick kage bunshin jutsu, used henge, and sent a fake team running the same direction they had been before. Then he did something no one was expecting. He created a large amount of shadow clones and had them crouch in the hole with the team, then he waited.

"Naruto? We aren't hidden in an open hole. All we've done is trap ourselves in a pit."

"Shh… Jiraiya, henge those two into me and get ready to go, you three are going directly west, no more south, as soon as I say go."

Jiraiya shrugged, figuring that either this worked or they fought. They might win with Naruto fully Kyuubi, even if it killed him, and if Jiraiya used his most powerful form… but there wasn't enough time for that.

And Gaara was out. He could barely run.

But that was the plan.

The plan that Naruto knew and no one else.

Naruto began to feel the people running around the hole, not even bothering to look down. No one even noticed until one of them jumped directly overhead.

"GO!" Instantly the hole that had been filled with Naruto's flooded out in all directions, brutally swiping with kunai and throwing shurikin like made, a wave of destruction that seemed to have no end due to the depth of the pit.

Because they had all thought the team to be father ahead, they had not been prepared.

Seven fell dead, three more were the only ones in range.

By then the real team was gone on a completely different heading.

And no one was the wiser.

* * *

That morning they were on the border of one of the smaller nations without a ninja village and Kumo.

They had escaped.

"Naruto, that was a pretty slick plan."

"No, it wasn't."

"Huh?" Jiraiya thought Naruto would like the credit for the plan that had gotten them free of Lightning Country and Kumo.

"There were so many problems with that plan. What if they had had one of the… things… with them? Byakugan would have had us right off and we would have merely slowed down. What if they hadn't bothered to look in the hole, only threw in an explosive tag. We had a better chance of all being dead from that plan then surviving. It was made in desperation and I was lucky it worked."

"Hai, it worked. And that, Naruto, is what matters right now. Next time remember this plan's holes and fix them. This time we survived because of your quick thinking."

"Well, we know someone has to be the brains of our group."

"I nominate Gaara-san!" Matsuri threw her fist in the air with a smile. Everyone just stared at her. She stared back in confusion.

"What?"

Gaara did something not many people would ever see. He smilled and shook his head.

"I reject the nomination. I would elect Jiraiya as leader of our group. Naruto, you are a great shinobi as we have seen tonight, but Jiraiya has experience."

"I agree with you, Gaara. Ero-sennin is leader. And sensei."

"Hm?"

"We're going to be stuck as missing ninja for a while, ero-sensei. I am not going to stop training, and my old sensei is halfway to Konoha by now. You taught me rasengan, so now we can work on Hiraishin. And you know some great Doton jutsu to teach Gaara. And Matsuri can train with us, maybe she has talent as a shinobi."

"I agree to be team leader and teach you some stuff, but I am not sensei material…"

"Whatever, sensei. You will be when we're done with you."

Matsuri seemed to be really excited.

"I get to train to be a ninja like Gaara-san?"

"Hai."

"Yosh! A… ano, Gaara-san…" In her excitement she had punched Gaara unexpectedly right on the jaw. Gaara, in combination with chakra exhaustion and the punch, was knocked unconscious.

"Gaara-san? Gaara-san! Gomen, Gaara-san!" Matsuri was instantly assisting him.

Naruto and Jiraiya just stared at each other.

This was going to be very interesting.

A very down to earth jinchuriki and an energetic girl.

Very interesting indeed.

* * *

Months passed for the small group of banished ninja. Jiraiya was secretly conversing with Tsunade in messages, and through them had found out that coming back would most definitely spark war. Tsunade had begged forgiveness while she begged them to stay away for a while. They couldn't return until Konoha was prepared for war. While Kumo wouldn't know that Konoha knew about their secret weapons, they also wouldn't know that Konoha would be secretly building its defenses and training their ninja in war. But Tsunade insisted, if they came back and were announced to be official Konoha ninja, Kumo would attack within a week.

So they wandered.

They team of four traveled the north of the continent, exploring Rock and the other northern nations. Naruto would always be forced to wander the country of stone under a henge, as he was beginning to resemble his father too much.

Once, he had used the Hiraishin jutsu one a missing ninja who they would turn in for a bounty. Three people had seen it and run off. When the team had attempted to get the money from the bounty, they were almost killed in an ambush. Iwa ninja really hated that jutsu and Naruto's yellow hair and blue eyes.

And as time went on, the resemblance only grew. He smile, rarer then it had once been, would make women swoon, but ninja would attack without warning.

So they grew stronger.

Naruto, after being given all the reading material Jiraiya had on seals, had woken up one day was a shout, causing the entire camp to wake up like they were under attack, not an uncommon occurrence for the missing ninja.

"I GET IT, ERO-SENNIN!"

"Get what, gaki?"

"I get the Hiraishin! I understand it now! I know my seal!"

"WHAT?"

"It was the… oh yeah… I got… yeah… It'll work!"

"Nani?"

Naruto fell into mumbles as he began to perfectly brush four seals onto a piece of paper. He then wrapped the paper around a kunai and then threw it with all his might. In a flash he was holding the kunai, still traveling with the kunai. Before landing he tossed the same kunai straight up, and in a flash he was holding it again, only twenty meters in the air. He finally threw it towards the ground, and before it hit he was feet from them, flipping, and then landing on his feet.

"I figured it out, sensei." Naruto then proceeded to create a design for his new, altered kunai.

It was time to quit borrowing from his dad. New seals means new style of kunai.

He would get them when he returned to Konoha.

Jiraiya was less then pleased. It had been the same with his father. Just mumbles about some revelation and then he had it. Jiraiya was slightly jealous.

Naruto had mastered the Hiraishin.

So he worked on new things. He worked on the rasengan, making it possible to quickly form in one hand. He worked on his other jutsu, expanding his repertoire of jutsu and increasing the strength of the jutsu he already knew. Everyone in the group admitted that he was becoming an excellent ninja. What they didn't say to his face was that he was slowly becoming one of the most powerful ninja around. Even Jiraiya knew he would be hard pressed to beat Naruto if Naruto was going all out.

But he was not the only one to improve.

Gaara, one the other hand, expanded his personal supply of sand to double that of his old gourd. Instead of expanding his old gourd, though, he merely learned how to more densely compact the sand until it was treading the line between sand and glass. It gave his new gourd an ethereal appearance, as it was nearly glass, so it looked like foggy crystal. The kanji on it were identical to his old one, and it was same in size and shape. But now, the instant battle came, the gourd would fall apart and become a large cloud of sand to be used in attack and defense.

He mastered some of the Doton techniques Jiraiya taught him, finding a few to be extremely helpful in his formation of sand.

And he also taught.

Matsuri, under the teaching of Jiraiya and the tutelage of Gaara, slowly blossomed as a capable ninja. Matsuri, they found out, had an affinity for genjutsu similar to Kurenai. She mastered the bunshin and henge with no trouble, and the substitution jutsu with just a little more. She was training in the basics, and because of that she managed to do things none of them thought of.

Who would have though she could henge into a common citizen to enter a village without ninja and get food instead of starving?

Jiraiya hadn't thought of it.

Naruto had been too busy.

Gaara didn't do much of anything during the day besides train himself and Matsuri, so he was too tired to think most of the time.

Matsuri had the most common sense out of any of them.

Naruto figured that was why she finally did what Jiraiya and Naruto had been betting on.

She kissed Gaara.

Instantly, she had a slave at her bidding.

Gaara had never felt love, so he told her about the Shukaku, and he had to admit he had been missing out. She had kissed him again and told him she didn't care.

They were nearly inseparable after that kiss. Matsuri would always have a kunai guarding Gaara's back and Gaara would always had a few cubic meters of sand to protect her with.

One and a half years into their banishment they found a disturbing fact. It was one day when they were in a small coastal village in rock when they saw the same ship Matsuri had once been on in the harbor. After a quick investigation the had determined exactly where… or more directly, to whom the monsters had been going.

Iwa was receiving the monsters. Kumo probably received half and Iwa received the other half. Naruto was confident that the monsters would stop being exported as soon as the last one reached maturity in their tubes. While there, Naruto took the time to look up the captain of the slave ship. It turned out he was a minor, C ranked criminal charged with kidnapping and murder. Naruto personally cashed in on the bounty.

Or he would have, but it had specified 'live capture'.

Naruto had given him a chance, but he resisted. After all, he had given the bastard two seconds to drop his weapon, a table knife. When he had only stared at Naruto confused he ended up with a kunai in his throat.

Naruto's only regret was that the man never knew why he died.

Two years after they had been banished they returned to Kumo, becoming spies once again. They supplied information to Tsunade every so often about the war preparations in Kumo. Troop counts and buildups, supply routes, and everything that would be important in a war.

Until they had reported that Kumo was making final preparations.

Then they had been called home.

* * *

Naruto sat on his seat next to the fire pit in their adobe house, next to him sat Hinata, half asleep but still desiring to here more. Gaara and Matsuri were out, already knowing the story, and leaning against each other in sleep. Gaara's sand unconsciously held them upright in their seats while they slept.

Jiraiya had gone out to send a last report to Tsunade via toad.

It was only team eight again.

"So… Shino."

"I believe you."

"Arigato."

"I am just glad you're back, Naruto."

"Same here, finally my first genin team gets back together."

"I am glad Naruto-kun finally gets to return home…" Hinata blushed. She was thinking about home and exactly what it would mean in about six months… Technically she was supposed to tell Naruto about the betrothal a year before, but this was the soonest time she was able…

But could she do it?

She wouldn't know till she tried.

"Naruto-kun… I…"

"Oh, Hinata-chan! You guys should tell me what's been going on in Konoha, it's only fair."

"Alright…"

She could put it off for a little longer…

* * *

In three years not much had changed in Konoha, only people really.

Naruto learned from Hinata and his team that almost everyone he knew had done something memorable in the last three years. Shikamaru had advanced to jonin status, despite his promise to never try for jonin, and had begun to date Temari. Naruto swore that he would tell that to Gaara in the morning, but felt there would likely be no problem with it. After all, Shikamaru had been there in Lightning with them to the end.

Ino Yamanaka had retired as a ninja, surprising everyone, when her mother fell ill and was no longer able to run the flower shop. Ino told everyone that she had never really liked all the fighting and flowers were so much easier to handle then blood. Secretly Hinata agreed with her.

Choji had bulked up in Naruto's absence and reached chunin status. He had lost most of his fat in an incident with Akamichi food pills, but survived to build his body off of muscle. He was heralded as one of the most powerful up and coming ninja due to his strength rivaling Tsunade and his speed that was, while not amazing, impressive for a man of his size.

Sakura Haruno had finally started to do something with her ninja career, and was training under Tsunade as a medic ninja, though she also picked up her massive strength.

Sasuke Uchiha, one of the people Naruto wanted to fight when he returned, had a steady girlfriend. She was strict with him, but he was the same with her. They both seemed to cancel each other out with orders because each was used to getting their way. When they figured out they both couldn't get their way, they actually realized that life wasn't all about them. Ten-ten, the weapon's mistress of Konoha, had Sasuke on a leash. He liked it that way. He, also, led her along like a fisherman leads a fish. She knew and didn't care. They were perfect for each other.

Kiba and his dog had become the greatest tracking pair in Konoha, and had generally left Hinata alone, surprisingly, after the first time he had mentioned a date and she had gone off on him for his insensitivity.

Rock Lee was the same as always, he literally hadn't changed at all. He was chasing after Sakura's heart still, and she still didn't understand that Sasuke was out of her reach while she had a man throwing himself at her, many times literally.

Neji Hyuga, the person Naruto had had to forgive on Hinata-chan's orders, was actually loosening up a little. When Hinata had told him her plans for the clan, he had agreed to support her. Anything to remove his damn seal on his forehead. He had also begun to believe Hiashi's story about Hizashi, which made him even nicer to Hinata and her sister. He had improved in attitude so much he was now their personal guardian at home and he took his job very seriously.

Hinata had also beaten him in a sparing match, Shino had added in.

Hinata couldn't help but be caught in a crushing hug from Naruto at that news.

They continued when she had regained her breath.

Shino was now, officially, clan heir apparent and was being trained to take over on his seventeenth birthday. He had done something no other Aburame had ever been able to do, which was combine his mind with the hive mind, giving him direct control of his insects. Now he wouldn't need to give them orders, they were him and he was them. Their thoughts were his and his were theirs. Having his insects do complex aerial moves was as simple as moving his arm now, and instantaneous.

He had become an espionage expert because of that ability, and a jonin.

Naruto smiled at his friend, no jealously in his face or smile at all. It wasn't even in his heart.

He wasn't jealous at all. Just proud.

Kurenai, who was still awake, tried to get Hinata to stop when she mentioned her, but it came out that she had gone on some unofficial dates with Kakashi. Naruto just nodded at that, it wasn't that embarrassing. She seemed to think so as his sensei's cheeks imitated Hinata's after a kiss.

Naruto was surprised and happy to find out that his favorite teacher and friend, Iruka Umino, was engaged to Anko, the crazy lady from the genin tests. Naruto was going to enjoy egging his teacher on for all it was worth. Hinata, though, suggested he do it only out of ear shot of Anko. The last person mentioning his 'luck at getting a tiger for a wife' was put in the hospital for weeks by Anko.

Tsunade was the same as always, except her drinking problem had increased. Hinata had become close friends with her, and they had often had lunch or tea to discuss life and missions.

Hinata felt like Tsunade was her link to Naruto.

Tsunade had felt the same way about Hinata.

Neither of them would ever tell him that.

The ramen bar had stayed open, much to Naruto's joy.

He promised Hinata a bowl as soon as he saw his bachan and otou-san… and Iruka… and Kakashi… and Shikamaru… and Sasuke…

"It sounds like I'll never get to eat ramen with you, Naruto-kun…"

"Hm… you're right. Alright, first comes bachan, then ramen. Then the rest. You're more important then those other guys."

"Don't say that… Naruto-kun…"

"Hinata-chan?"

"Hm?"

"I like your hair."

Both of them blushed and looked away for a second.

"Arigato… Naruto-kun…"

Both sat in silence for about two minutes before Kurenai gave a yawn and went off to bed.

"Don't stay up too late, Jiraiya has watch, so don't do anything that your otou-san wouldn't approve of."

"Sensei!"

"I'm just saying…"

She left to sleep, and Shino followed, leaving Hinata and Naruto as the only conscious people in the room.

They both had the same idea at the same time.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Hinata-chan?"

"There's something I need to tell you…"

"Really? I have something to tell you, too."

"You can go first, Naruto-kun."

"No, you first, I insist."

"Demo… Naruto-kun, yours is probably more important…"

"I think yours is more important, Hinata-chan."

They both just stared at each other for a while, not knowing how to say what was needed or how the other would react to the information.

Lucky for them the Hyuga are very good at deception, or it might have actually mattered.

"Hinata-chan, you go first."

"A… all right… Naruto-kun?"

"Hai?"

"I… there… we're… I think… Naruto-kun?"

"Hm?" Naruto was actually about to laugh at Hinata's tries to get whatever it was out. She was so flustered it was funny!

He didn't laugh, though at what she said next.

"Naruto-kun, I… think that I've… that I've liked you for a long time…" She turned away and blushed so much he could see it on the back of her neck. Naruto didn't know what to say.

"Is… is that what you wanted to tell me?"

"Hai."

_Please let him return my feelings! Please, oh please help me not pass out, Kami-sama!"_

"And… I… I was wondering if you… felt the… same… way…"

"Hinata-chan… I…" Naruto was tongue tied for once in his life. Wasn't that what he was going to say? How did she beat him to it? Why did she beat him to it?

"Hinata-chan, I… before you say you like me, there is something you should know…"

"… what is it?"

"The day before your third birthday Hiashi told me something about… us…"

"What… did he say?"

"You… and me… are betrothed. To be married on your next birthday before you take the tests to see if you will be heiress."

Hinata gasped, and Naruto didn't understand the true reason why. He turned to face the other way to hide his hurt feelings. He though her gasp was her being objecting to the idea. His heart split in two.

"Yeah, crazy huh? You see, at first I didn't really care, I mean I was only three and everything… and when we became ninja and fought together and worked together… I grew to kinda… like the idea."

Hinata, who was behind him, gave a small sob. He knew it wouldn't work out! Even when it had seemed so likely that she liked him… she wouldn't want to marry him.

"But, I mean… I won't hold you to it, or anything… technically the contract was broken when I became a missing ninja."

"But… but…"

"Hinata-chan, I… I really like you… but I won't force you to marry me…"

"Naruto-kun, I… but… you don't understand! I was told we were betrothed when I turned three, also! I wanted it! Kami-sama, how I wanted you to love me like I loved you! Don't force me to not marry you! Unless… unless you really don't want to…"

Naruto had spun around and instantly had Hinata in his arms.

"You knew?"

"Hai."

"And you still loved me? Even though you were going to be forced to marry me?"

"You were my best friend, Naruto-kun, from day one. When we joined the academy I had a crush on you. When we went through the forest of death and the chunin exams, I thought I loved you. But it wasn't until you left that I realized that there was a piece of my soul missing with you, like nothing I could do would fill it until you came back. I prayed daily that you would come home and that you would at least accept me, even with apathy! I just didn't want you to hate me. I thought you would hate me for forcing you to be my husband."

"Hey, it wasn't you. That was otou-san and my real dad who did that. And you can bet I don't blame them for anything. In fact, I think I'll thank otou-san as soon as we get home."

"So… you'll… agree?"

"Hinata, on your sixteenth birthday you will show those Hyuga counsel members exactly who is heiress, and I want to beside you while you do it."

"And when you stand up one day and accept your Hokage hat and robes, I want to be there, standing beside you as well."

"You know, for a forced marriage, I don't feel very forced."

"I'm glad."

"Hinata Hyuga, would you agree to marry me? Even if we weren't betrothed?"

"I though you would never ask me, of course I will."

Hinata, with a smile the size of Naruto's regular smile, leaned up to Naruto and kissed him. This time, though, they didn't stop until Gaara woke up around four in the morning. He calmly tapped Naruto on the shoulder, told him to get a room, and then went to wash in the nearby river.

Naruto gave one last quick kiss to Hinata before they each went to try to get a few hours of sleep.

_He loves me back!_

_She loves me back!_

_I'm engaged!_

Hinata passed out, but she was a second too late. Naruto had beaten her to the punch. He was out cold and Hinata was unconscious on top of him. They both had goofy smiles on their faces, and when they woke up, no one was able to get out of them exactly why. Jiraiya had his suspicions, but Kurenai denounced them as completely idiotic and perverted, and if he ever mentioned the words again in her presence she would send Anko after him.

Jiraiya took the lead of the group and was silent the entire way to Konoha.

* * *

AN: Continued fluff while war builds. I'm glad they finally got together, aren't you? I mean, they had to, but still... Hinata actually brought up the subject.


	27. Celebrate Me Home

AN: So after writing the last chapter I went to take a nap and… go figure… slept till seven at night. And I had wanted to get the next chapter out today. Oh well. Here is the next chapter, named after a song I heard. I thought the title fit.

Ok, there was a decent review from DoWnEr. The only thing you don't seem to get is that no one knows that Konoha knows that Kumo was behind anything. It needed to stay that way so that Konoha could prepare. If Kumo knew that Konoha knew that Kumo was preparing for war, then they would not give them that chance.

And the thing was, because Konoha knew that Kumo was gearing for war meant that they could prepare their ninjas. Because the original eyes were taken by Naruto, no more Byakugan monsters could be made. So, that means Kumo would not be able to have the advantage by having thousands of them and would be forced into Konoha's timetable by needing to attack when the last monster was mature to have the absolute advantage. This allowed Konoha to have a general idea about when Kumo would strike, along with limiting their super soldiers.

At least, that is what they believe. But will it work?

Find out later.

Oh, and there was another good question, Sakura and Sasuke. There will eventually be a confrontation, or a mention of a confrontation.

* * *

Chapter 26: Celebrate Me Home

* * *

The great sannin of Konoha were able to each be represented by their summons. Tsunade was capable of summoning slugs, and was often known as the legendary sucker because of that combined with her inability to win in a gamble. Jiraiya was the keeper of the toad summoning contract, a prestigious position for any human. He had even, at one point in his life, been taken to the leader of all toad summons and declared a pervert.

It was on his resume, right below the fact that he was a self proclaimed legendary super pervert and author of the best selling book series in the ninja world.

But despite his laid back nature and perverted nature, Jiraiya was arguably the most powerful ninja of the three sannin.

Arguably, because many would say that the greatest of the three was also the most evil.

Orochimaru, summoner of snakes, completed the reluctant trio. His evil nature corrupted everything he thought and did, making it an extension of his malice and twisted mind.

The three had once been teammates, companions under the brave banner of Konoha. But then the shinobi wars occurred and they each felt its loss in a different way. All three felt the effects of death in their own way, and the way they each chose to deal with it was what truly caused the three to part ways.

Tsunade drowned her sorrows and memories in sake and gambling, hoping the alcohol would make her forget her loved ones and that the next big win would be enough to purchase the next round of sake.

Orochimaru decided that mortality was a drag and that he would surpass it. There was no other option, he would not fall like those poor saps in that pathetic excuse for a war.

Jiraiya, with the loss of his dearest friend, retreated to the seclusion of a hermit, where he found that naked women easily filled the mind. So he dedicated his life to placing the women he saw into picture and word so, eventually, his 'friend' would be covered in his mind like the pictures covered his pages.

Each of the sannin tried to escape from reality.

All but one had come to accept their mortality.

Only one had come to terms with her loss.

Tsunade stood on the city walls at noon, a hot place to be in the middle of summer in Fire Country, but also the only place she could find herself at peace.

Finally, her mistakes would be found out and, hopefully, forgiven. But what she had to do today was going to change a lot of lives, probably create a lot of people like she had once been. Hopefully everyone would eventually forgive her for her actions… and the actions she was about to do.

"Hokage-sama, you called for us?" Four ANBU had appeared behind her with absolute silence.

"Hai. I am calling a town meeting, it is mandatory for all ninja and civilians. Warn the populace, it will be at precisely five today."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" They were gone before Tsunade could blink.

Her ninja had been getting better, the slacking off that had been going on since the Kyuubi's assault that took the majority of the ninja populace had ended, and Konoha's ninjas were superb for their individual classes. Konoha genin would beat any other genin easily, except maybe Suna's genin. Konoha chunin would be able to go toe to toe with other country's low level jonin. Each jonin in her city was skilled enough to be ANBU anywhere else.

And her ANBU guard, together, could take out a kage.

And that was good, for they would possibly need to do so.

Soon.

Tsunade looked down the road leading from the north gate of Konoha.

Soon they would be coming, soon she would be able to say she was sorry.

Soon she could rid his conscience of their fates and begin to pile on the fates of every person in her village.

* * *

Hinata and Naruto both woke up that morning overly joyful to the regret of everyone in the group. Naruto had reverted to his hyperactive nature of three years ago. Everyone just thought it was because they both had finally found the other.

They were right in more ways then one.

Konoha was only about a half day walk from the Grass/Fire border, so they went at a leisurely pace as the sun rose above them, lighting the sky with colors never seen elsewhere.

Naruto smiled up at the sun for a moment. The brilliant yellow orb smiled back at him.

"_Shit… Naruto, do it!"_

_Flash._

Naruto's smile left his face to be replaced with one of seriousness.

Only an hour in to the walk back and Naruto was beginning to wonder if he should even go back.

"Jiraiya-sensei…"

"Hm? Naruto?"

"Don't... you know…"

"… alright."

Kurenai and Hinata noticed the two least serious people they knew share a look of absolute seriousness, the kind only seen when lives were on the line.

Gaara and Matsuri also traded a glance. One of worry.

"Naruto-kun… are you ok?" Hinata was holding his arm as they walked, not knowing what his change in mood was. She couldn't be happier, until he had suddenly… changed.

"Oh, Hinata-chan. Hai, I'm fine! Just… thinking…"

Gasps.

"Why do both my sensei and my two best friends gasp when I say that?"

"I didn't gasp, Naruto-kun."

"Thank you, Hinata-chan."

"Me neither, Naruto!"

"Matsuri, the first time Gaara and Jiraiya did that you laughed until you fell asleep. Thirty minutes later."

"Yeah, but that was before it stopped being… no, wait… it's still funny."

"Thanks, Matsuri-baka."

Naruto suddenly felt sand start creeping up his legs.

"It was a joke, Gaara."

"I did not appreciate it, Naruto."

"Fine, gomen."

The sand retreated slightly.

"FINE! GOMEN, MATSURI, BEAUTIFUL FRIEND OF GAARA!"

Laughter. The rest of the sand left him.

"What? He makes me say it every blasted time or he breaks my legs!"

"Maybe… Naruto-kun… you should stop making fun of her…" Hinata was having a hard time talking while containing her laughter. Naruto gave a sigh.

"But it is soooo ea… I mean, sure, no more making fun of anyone, especially that really strong and awesome Gaara and his amazing girlfriend." Naruto's lower body had been incased in sand by the time he began to say 'easy', so he was forced to change in order to protect most of his bones.

Gaara had found out early on that crushing Naruto's legs would only make him stay down for a day while they healed. So he no longer had any problem with smashing them to protect the honor of his girlfriend.

"Gaara, no crushing, we need to get back today. Matsuri, stop laughing. Naruto, shut up." Jiraiya sighed. It was like he was a jonin instructor again… but with genin level students when two of them were capable of fighting off hundreds of ninja and the other was a competent ninja.

He had a team of ninja geniuses, but it felt like a team of academy students sometimes.

"Well, Jiraiya-sama, it looks like you seem to have control of them."

"They just listen to me because I teach them new jutsu weekly. If I had nothing more to say, Naruto would be the leader and I would be stuck on pack up duty every day."

They went on like this for hours, talking and catching up. Bantering about nothing, showing off with different things, but never showing any new jutsu. Except Hinata, Hinata had to show Naruto her new jutsu. It was dedicated to him, after all. When she told him she had created it herself and that she had made it to grow strong like him, he had given her a kiss. And everyone was surprised to watch as she did not pass out, just blush horribly.

Hinata stood in a tight opening stance, one foot barely in front of the other, with her hands in the ram sign.

"Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho!"

Instantly, Hinata's arms began moving at a speed not even Naruto could see. Shino and Kurenai smirked as the team of four stared as Hinata used her arms and chakra to protect herself from all directions.

Naruto, wanting to test it out, threw a shurikin at the almost imperceptible barrier.

It was cut in half.

Not smashed or blocked but freaking cut in half!

"She uses her chakra from the palms of her hands along with her natural flexibility and speed to create an impenetrable shield, not unlike the Kaiten. But it is different because it is also an attack. If you were standing closer you would be in range of her chakra, which she focuses from her palms into thin blades that are as sharp as razor wire, strong as steel, and flexible as her arms are, as you can see. The shield reaches her arm length and a few more centimeters, but the attack range is two more meters. If you entered that area, she could cut you in half before you even knew you were hit. Try to hit her, Naruto.

"Alright… I will. Hinata, better be ready. This is going to be one of my better ones." Naruto had a rasengan in his hand in less then a second, surprising Shino and Kurenai.

"Here I come!"

Naruto charged her.

And was cut in half.

"WHAT THE HELL, HINA… ta?" Naruto vanished into a puff of smoke, none of them had seen him perform his jutsu. Kurenai and Shino were looking around, but before they did anything, Jiraiya and Gaara grabbed them and pulled them to a safe distance.

"Jiraiya, what are you doing?"

"Kurenai, you don't want to be near her when Naruto attacks... believe me."

Hinata kept her shield going, but her head was moving all around. She was not surprised when four Narutos came out of the trees on each side of her. She cut them all into pieces. More Narutos appeared, but before they were able to reach her arms they were destroyed. Eight clones went in, none came out. Sixteen went in, none got a hit. Finally what they expected to be the actual Naruto came out from behind a tree. He was twiddling with a kunai, flipping it around in his hand.

"I have to say, Hinata, you sure are efficient with that. But, I can tell, you know how to do more then that. Protect yourself from someone who can defend themselves."  
Naruto suddenly exploded with chakra, blue and red flowing out in every direction. He had a large rasengan, about the size of a human head, in his hand this time.

Hinata turned to face him, but instead of rotating her arms all around her body, she began only moving them in a third of a sphere around the front of her body. Naruto narrowed his eyes as the chakra became so compact and dense that he could actually see it hanging in the air, and due to her speed it never seemed to disappear. A net of chakra covered her front, and Naruto was willing to test it.

What better test then a rasengan?

Naruto charged, keeping his chakra surrounding his body. He was glad he did when a thread of Hinata's chakra came and threatened to cut him, but was deflected off of his own concentrated chakra. She sent another, more powerful one, that managed to nick his face slightly went it had been aimed at his arm. Hinata almost dropped her jutsu at that, not planning on actually hurting him, but he was already on her.

"Odama Rasengan!" Naruto threw his arm out and it impacted the chakra web Hinata was using. She was sweating but smiled at Naruto as her shield held the ball back.

Then it began to bend.

And Hinata began to sweat harder.

It was like the ball of energy in front of her couldn't be stopped, or drained of energy. For almost three seconds the ball and net were at a standstill, and then Naruto's eyes went wide. He collapsed the rasengan just before it would have exploded from the strain, and got most of it before he was sent flying from the smaller explosion. Hinata was shoved backwards, but barely received a scratch due to her shield. Naruto was thrown backwards into a tree, and through it. Kurenai thought she had seen his leg snap the wrong way.

Hinata gasped and tried to run over to him.

"Naruto-kun…" She was stopped by Gaara.

"You don't want to see that, Hinata."

She stared at him, what didn't he want her to see? He wasn't dead, he had been sent flying through trees sense he was a genin! Right?

Naruto stood up after ten seconds of fear from everyone except the three people he had spent the last three years of his life with. He was still in the shadows of tree, but everyone saw as he popped his shoulder in place and reset his left leg with a crack. Red chakra flared around him for a few seconds and then he walked back towards them as if it had been nothing.

"Hinata-chan! That was amazing! You blocked one of my better attacks! I doubt anyone could get through… that?" Hinata was in tears, she had seen the damage she had done to him as he had fixed himself.

"Naruto-kun!" She threw herself at him and embraced him. "I… I thought… for a moment there… that…"

"I was dead? Nope, I was fine. I can take a lot more cause of the kitsune here, that was more like an average spar with Gaara worth of damage. And it wasn't your fault, it was mine. I thought your jutsu would effect my jutsu slightly different then it did, and I paid for it. But I'm fine, see?" He twirled around before picking her up and slinging her over his shoulder.

"Now quit crying, we're going home and we're behind schedule because your jutsu was so damn strong." Naruto took off his weights on his legs before tossing them lightly to Matsuri, who was trying to build up her strength. She caught them and was barely able to continue standing. Gaara took them from her and set them on their own personal cloud of sand. When he turned to chastise Naruto for trying to kill his girlfriend, he found that both of them were gone, and Shino, Kurenai and Jiraiya were almost out of sight as well.

"Oh well, Gaara. We can travel in style!"

"Alright. Just don't go near the edge again." Gaara's gourd deteriorated and him and Matsuri rose up onto a huge mass of sand that began following the dust trail of Naruto at a speed not many people were able to reach even without a cloud of floating sand. Gaara increased the speed until they were catching up to Naruto and Hinata, but had to slow down slightly went Matsuri fell off the cloud and he had to control an arm of the sand to grab her… again.

"Gomen, Gaara-kun!"

"Matsuri, please, stay in the middle. I don't want to have you fall."

Matsuri was instantly around his neck with a hug and a kiss on his cheek.

"You're so sweet, worrying like that!"

"I know, now stop, I'm trying to concentrate on flying."

"Oh, so don't distract you by making rude comments about how I thought it was hilarious what Hinata did to Naruto last night?"

"Yes, that would likely cause us to fall to our deaths."

"Oh…"

* * *

Hinata had stopped crying and was now curled up in Naruto's arms contentedly.

"Hinata-chan, please don't tell anyone about the… healing…"

"Why, Naruto-kun?"

"Well, you see… I was always a fast healer, but you must admit that fixing a broken leg, dislocated shoulder, two broken ribs, and a cracked spinal column is a bit much for anyone naturally or unnaturally in a few seconds."

"I… I broke your back?"

"No, I broke my own back, it was my fault. Your jutsu worked perfectly, it was my own stupidity that caused that small explosion. But, you see, some people might take it as a sign that Kyuubi's seal is getting weaker…"

"Is it?"

"No. Well… not really. It is just easier for me to get chakra from him. The seal doesn't work the way most people think."

"Ok, I won't tell."

"Speaking about not telling, are you sure we shouldn't tell these guys about the… you know…"

"We can tell them after otou-san."

"Good idea. Does he think I…"

"Naruto, I think the only people who really thought you and the others were innocent were the Hokage, Shikamaru and, by association, Choji. Gaara's siblings. Kurenai, me and Kakashi-sensei. And dad and Hanabi-imouto-chan."

"Are you and her getting along better?"

"Actually, yes. When I told her my plan for the clan and the curse seal and explained why, she said she agreed. I already got the clan counsel to agree that, even if they make me clan heiress officially when I turn sixteen, they won't mark Hanabi until a few weeks after I become clan head, when I turn eighteen. They agreed because none of them know I already have my eyes and I just need to learn how to activate Byakugan."

"A difficult feat, I have heard."

"But I will have almost five months to learn from Neji-san after we get back."

"I'm glad I found them, Hinata-chan."

"Me too, Naruto-kun."

"Hinata-chan… you know… we never really told you about how we found your eyes, did we?"

"No, but I figure it was a secret so Tsunade needs to release it first."

"Hai, you're right. But I want to tell you… no matter what happens or what you hear, those eyes… are intrinsically good even if they were used for evil."

"What do you mean?"

"I… they were…"

"NARUTO UZUMAKI!"

Without noticing, Naruto had arrived at the gates to the very place that had once banished him. It was a wonderful experience, except when he found himself in a bone crushing hug only slightly stronger the Hinata's original hug.

"Bachan… can't… breathe… please…"

"Tsunade! He can't breathe and I'm getting crushed!" No one seemed to notice that Tsunade was hugging Naruto over Hinata, who was still in his arms.

"Oh, Hinata! Gomen. Welcome back. And Naruto, it is… so good to see you!" Tsunade had sworn she wouldn't cry, but with the sight of the fifteen year old Naruto coming out of the trees, followed by a floating sand cloud and the last three she expected to come home… she couldn't help herself.

"You're all back… this is great! Naruto, Gaara, Jiraiya, and… who're you?"

"Matsuri of the SAND!"

"You're married to Gaara?"

"Nope, not yet." Gaara gave a small blush. "But he proposed after I fell off the cloud for the third time today. He said that he had to tell me before I died by falling off the fourth time. It was the sweetest proposal I ever heard, so I said yes."

"Matsuri would have said yes if Gaara proposed over the rotting corpses of his enemies. But congratulations you two!" Naruto clapped Gaara on the back, causing him to flinch slightly even through his sand shield.

Tsunade was looking back and forth between the completely serious Gaara, with a blush, and the energetic and smiling Matsuri, who also had a blush.

"You'll have to tell your brother and sister about this… and I know for a fact that Temari said she would interrogate any girl who came near you, Gaara."

"She can do that… but I will interrogate her… boyfriends… as well. And I am not a fan of interrogation… I like torture."

"Gaara, you're so sweet!"

Kurenai and Shino were standing well back from the pair. Tsunade took a couple steps backwards as well. Hinata just giggled, still in Naruto's arms.

She knew that any proposition from the one you loved was the best you would ever hear.

"Well… um… there is a town meeting at five, which gives you two hours to relax. You three, go under a henge. At least until the meeting, alright? Naruto, don't eat all the ramen in the city."

"I'll make sure to save Hinata a bowl, don't worry."

"Jiraiya, I need you in my office to discuss what you all have done for three years and get your report on the original mission first. It will be the one I read tonight."

"Tonight? Are you sure this information is the kind the public needs?"

"Hai, they will need it tonight." Tsunade started walking away and motioned him to follow. "Naruto, Gaara, and Matsuri, don't reveal yourselves yet or you very well could be killed on sight."

"Arigato, Bachan! I'll try to remember. Henge!" Instantly a nondescript female Hyuga appeared with Hinata in her arms. Gaara transformed as well, matching Matsuri's looks perfectly as if he was her twin brother. Jiraiya, while following Tsunade, had already applied his invisibility jutsu.

"Alright, Gaara, Matsuri, time for the best food in the universe…"

"Dango?" Gaara had a sweet tooth that not many people knew about. Kurenai and Shino stared at the weird kid.

"Gaara?" Matsuri was not questioning Gaara, just mentioned her favorite thing to taste.

"No, not Dango or… disgusting…" Naruto shivered, realizing exactly what she had said. "… it is RAMEN!"

"Oh…" Matsuri took Gaara's arm and smiled. "Ok, lets go!" she started dragging Gaara from the gate to the city. Naruto put down Hinata and they walked, not arm in arm as that would look weird for people who knew Hyugas and Hinata, but just very close to each other. Shino walked beside them and Kurenai followed.

Along the way they saw interesting sights that made Naruto crack up. They saw Choji helping Ino carry flowers on a delivery of some sort, which made little sense because the man could probably carry both Ino and the flowers in one hand. Why she was walking with him made Naruto wonder.

They passed Naruto's favorite weapons shop, noticing that there were two people behind the counter. One with brown hair, the other with black. Sasuke Uchiha was playing with kunai as his girlfriend stocked weapons from the back of the store. The strange thing was that he didn't look like his usual bored at anything self. He actually smiled, and every so often he would stare at his girlfriend without her noticing.

He looked like someone in love.

And it was hilarious.

Naruto had barely gotten out of sight before he had collapsed in laughter. Sasuke almost missed a throw of his kunai when he sneezed.

They had continued on, passing many common places until reaching Naruto's favorite restaurant in all of Konoha. Restaurant indeed, as they arrived Naruto noticed that the place had expanded into an actual restaurant, meaning actual seats and tables. It was surprisingly full, but there were enough seats for their group.

Naruto only ordered ten bowls, getting stares from everyone around him. The ones who knew who he was, stared in awe at his self restraint. The ones who didn't know who he was only looked in awe at the girl who must have thought the bowls were tiny or had a bottomless stomach.

"Otou-san! We have a Naruto-san quantity order here!"

"How many?"

"Ten!"

"That isn't Naruto-san quantity, to get the Naruto-san discount you most order a minimum of thirty bowls."

"No one would order that, Otou-san, except Naruto-kun."

"That is exactly why I am not driven out of business from giving discounts to everyone."

Naruto and Hinata snickered at the conversation. It was true, Naruto had the record for the largest order in the ramen bar's history, fifty three. One of which had been Hinata's.

Naruto even had a picture of his twelve year old self, smiling with a stomach resembling a pregnant woman, hanging on the wall above the stove in the restaurant. Hinata could barely be seen on his other side, blushing.

Naruto winked at her and she smiled.

They would come back the next day and break the record.

After all, Naruto's bank account had not been accessed in three years, and interest accumulates.

* * *

Jiraiya and Tsunade were in her office, discussing the mission and the last three years. They had finally come to the part Jiraiya had been dreading.

"So… how have they improved? And the girl, is she ninja caliber?"

"Ha… Tsunade-hime, you wouldn't believe half of it."

"Try me, I must know what level they are for future missions and the war that is inevitable now that you have returned."

Jiraiya sighed in resignation.

"Fine, but no objections to anything I say until the end, as it is the entire truth."

"Fine."

"First, Gaara. Everyone knows of his expert control of sand and the brutality he uses against enemies. He has only increased in both. I have personally watched as a team of ten Iwa hunter ninjas were engulfed in sand before they could blink and crushed to half their original sizes. He has also learned a few decent Doton jutsu, including my personal jutsu, the swamp of the underworld. He knows a few weak ones that will let him increase the sand in the area, as well as one he never used in the chunin exams that summons an enormous amount of sand, enough to possibly flood half the city. And the demon inside him is fighting him less and less, giving him more power to make his control of sand perfect and unconscious. I would rate him as a jonin at least."

"Alright…"

"Matsuri is upper level genin. She has a flare for Doton jutsu, but her chakra control is wasted on it. So I had her sign the toad summoning contract."

"Really?"

"Hai, and she has done things no one besides me has done before. She might not be good in one on one fights, but she has such precise chakra control that I actually was able to tell her how to summon each different toad, even Gamabunta, which completely drained her. She can summon any toad, but unlike Naruto never makes a mistake and summons someone either larger or smaller then what she wants. If she wants a trio of warrior toads, that is what she gets. One hundred percent of the time."

"Interesting…"

"And Naruto… damn this is hard… He mastered the Hiraishin."

"Amazing…"

"Hai, the Fourth didn't for years after he created the actual idea. Almost ten years, to be exact. But still, he can do it with ease and preciseness. Sadly, the Fourth and Naruto have more in common then just the jutsu."

"He broke down, didn't he?"

"Hai. That day… was one of the worst…"

"_Shit… Naruto, do it!"_

"_Hai!"_

_Naruto had literally coated the ground in kunai, which was good considering that the extremely large group of Iwa and Kumo ninja surrounding them were also as densely packed._

_Then flashes of yellow light were everywhere and less then a minute later Naruto was next to them, breathing slightly heavier then usual._

_A hundred corpses littered the ground._

_Naruto looked at his hands, covered in blood._

"_Naruto, good job…"_

"What happened?"

"He broke down completely. Wouldn't move or speak or eat for three days. I guess it really is true what he told me about the jutsu..."

"Hai…"

"While using the jutsu, each and every face you kill with it is burned into your mind permanently?"

"No, not quite that bad. The jutsu doesn't merely speed you up to the speed of light, it needs to speed your mind up to allow you to actually use it. So really, he just sees everyone he is killing die in extremely slow motion. And after the technique is done it takes a minute for the mind to slow down, so he watched about fifty men and women fall to the ground with blood gushing from their throats in slow motion, not able to speed away or even look away because his body no longer has the Hiraishin granted teleportation."

"I remember Minato coming back from the wars… he was changed almost to the point where students barely recognized him. He didn't look different, but he didn't smile anymore. At least… he didn't until he met her."

"At least Naruto already has his soul mate."

"Hinata?"

"Yeah, me and her would meet every once and a while for tea. She is in love with him more then I have ever seen two people in love. More than me and Dan, even."

"Well, that's good. Naruto told me he was worried about that. You know they were betrothed from before birth?"

"Hai, she told me the same. Those Hyugas… they are as deceptive as ninjas even in their clan laws."

"Well, something happened between them when they met. It was almost like they had never been away from each other."

"Soul mates are like that."

"Well, in the rest of his abilities Naruto has also improved. Let's see, he can do things I can't with a rasengan. He knows most of my Katon, Doton, and Fuuton jutsu, though he never uses any in battle unless its for practice. Saving Hinata when we found them, he used the Hiraishin in conjunction with rasengan. Did you know a body could explode in less then a second from having a rasengan appear in their chest? Me neither. It was... insightful. Naruto has also a basic grasp of genjutsu, a lot like his mother, and the skills of an expert in taijutsu. Nothing like Gai, but he could go toe to toe with anyone who wasn't a master. I would rate him... well... if I fought him it would be a very close battle but with the Hiraishin he would win. If he didn't have the Hiraishin... it would still be close."

"That is... slightly less believable then anything I have ever heard besides your pick up lines."

"The truth is like that, Tsunade. I would suggest giving him the jonin test as soon as possible and get him a genin team before ANBU gets him."

"Hm?"

"If he joins ANBU the kid will never not be on a mission because he will never get hurt. I mean, sure he gets hurt, but he has surreal healing powers. Just before arriving he suffered injuries that would put me in the hospital for weeks, and he was up in ten seconds. He broke his freaking back and stood up, gave it a crick, and then was ready to go. Hinata almost died! But the crazy thing is, if he was actually trying to not get hurt he wouldn't get hurt. I can't touch him when he doesn't want me to and focuses on dodging."

"You want me to believe that Naruto is the best ninja in our village?"

"No, I want you to _know_ that Naruto is the best ninja in our village. Test him, fight him yourself. You won't be disappointed in his progress. Three years avoiding Kumo, Iwa, and any other ninja has made my three students into people that no one else could be unless put under such pressure as they have been."

"They went through the fire?"

"And came out refined. So… shall I get our wayward ninja and bring them here for the town gathering?"

"Hm… yes. But before they show up, make sure they all take a bath."

"Alright! The first day back and Tsunade orders me to do research!"

"Ha! If you spy on the girl's side I can guarantee you Gaara will have your hide."

Jiraiya stopped in mid stride, shivered as if he remembered something, and them disappeared as he jumped out the window.

Tsunade sighed, pleasantly though. It was good to have them back, even Jiraiya.

* * *

Naruto was glad the hot springs was mostly empty in the summer, that way he could release his henge and relax. Gaara and Naruto sat near the separator between the male's and female's sides, while Jiraiya sat as far from them as he could.

He would never, ever, spy on a hot spring that contained Matsuri again. And something told him that if he tried it with the beautiful Hinata, Naruto would not stop at just smashing him in the parts that should never be touched by anyone besides a woman, and definitely not by rock hard sand.

Shino had stayed with them, but refrained from entering for obvious reasons. His insects did not like the hot water, so he only took quick cold showers.

"So… you actually proposed, Gaara. Finally. You and her have been inseparable for three years."

"Hai…"

"Is that it? Hai? Why did you propose?"

"I… love her." Naruto smiled at that.

"Good, cause I think of her like a sister. I didn't doubt it, but you need to calm down before the wedding."

"Why?"

"It is customary to give the bride a kiss."

"I will do that, then."

"No, I mean everyone."

Gaara stared at him with a mixture of horror and anger, but his face didn't change. Naruto sighed.

"Gaara, protecting her is perfectly fine, but you don't need to protect her from things that won't hurt her."

"So I can still…" He nodded at Jiraiya, who wasn't paying attention.

"Of course! Just… try not to kill anyone at the wedding… or if someone who doesn't know makes a move on her… that would be bad."

"… I'll try."

"And Shino, how is your love life."

"My insects are very productive…"

"Um… O… K?"

"I am not seeing anyone at the moment. What about you and Hinata?"

"I… guess we are fiancés now."

Shino and Gaara looked at each other, then at Naruto.

"You asked her to marry you?"

"Kinda…"

"You don't sound sure of yourself, either you did or not."

"Well, you see, we've kinda been betrothed since we were born."

"Oh."

"I see."

"And we are supposed to get married on her sixteenth birthday, this December 27."

"That… is unexpected."

"Well, I knew about it sense I was three, but wasn't allowed to say it until a year before it happens. I… told her last night that we were… you know… and she said she already knew."

"And?"

"She told me she loves me."

"You didn't know that?"

"Well, I did know that she thought she loved me, but then I didn't know that she knew about the marriage. I thought… well, that being forced to marry me would be a bad thing for her. Turns out she knew anyway and loved me still."

"That is great news, Naruto."

"Hai, it is."

They all sat in silence. Naruto thought that that was the quietest wedding announcement he had ever heard of. But, hey, those were his friends. He wouldn't trade them for the world.

* * *

Hinata, Matsuri and Kurenai sat in the woman's side of the hot springs relaxing in a bath that none of them had enjoyed in a long time.

Matsuri was going on and on about how amazing Gaara was, and Hinata listened to her thinking about Naruto. Kurenai sighed as she thought about all the things Kakashi was that Gaara wasn't according to Matsuri's list of all things Gaara is awesome at.

Sane.

Yep, that was pretty much it.

Oh, and a pervert.

Yep, but she didn't really care about that anymore… much.

Now, it was time to put the pressure on Hinata.

"So, Hinata, what happened last night with you and Naruto?"

Hinata's face, already flush with the heat, grew even redder as she sunk up to her chin in the water as if to hide her heart. Matsuri giggled and Kurenai followed.

Just like academy students.

"Ano… well… we… talked…"

"About what? Gaara told me he woke up and you were kissing."

"Really?"

Hinata sank even more into the water with an small 'eep' of embarrassment.

"Ano… he… well... we… I…"

"Calm down, Hinata. This place is empty except for us."

Hinata took a deep breath. She figured since they would tell her father that night a few hours head start was fine.

"Well… he told me he really likes me… and then he told me that we were betrothed."

Kurenai was slightly shocked to hear that. She hadn't known that.

"You're betrothed?"

"Hai… but, you see… we were both told when we were three… and told that the other one didn't know and that we had to tell them a year before the marriage… which is my sixteenth birthday… so I told him I… I… loved him… and he gave me a chance to take it back when he told me he was betrothed to me. I didn't, so he asked me… to marry him. And I said yes."

Matsuri let out a fan girl likes scream before grabbing onto Hinata in a hug.

"That's so great…"

Before she had a second to do anything else the divider between the sides was destroyed in a mass of boards and a wall of sand. Gaara was standing surrounded by sand but otherwise completely naked, Naruto was beside him with a towel hastily thrown about his waste with a rasengan in his hand, looking for an enemy.

It took everyone about ten seconds to realize that the scream let out by Gaara's fiancé was not one of pain or anger, but just surprise and maybe happiness. By then, Jiraiya had taken out his notebook and, in turn, been thrown out of the pool by a massive hand of sand.

Shino took both boys back to their said before sending his bugs to rebuild the wall, which they had done in a minute.

The girls still hadn't moved from their original places with Hinata and Matsuri hugging and all of them staring at the wall. Kurenai turned around after a minute and gave a smile.

"I guess Gaara takes the term 'fanatic devotion' to a whole new level, eh?"

Matsuri smiled. Hinata smiled as well, noticing that Naruto had been just as fast as Gaara.

* * *

AN: How did you like the mixing of fluff and seriousness? A little for everyone, I guess. Oh, and I thank everyone for reaching the massive mark of, what?

150,000 WORDS!

YOSH, THE FIRES OF YOUTH BURN BRIGHTLY WITHIN ME!


	28. Proclamation

AN: Alright, next chapter. Hope everyone is enjoying the fast updates and everything. This chapter was interesting for me to write.

* * *

Chapter 27: Proclamation

* * *

The village of Konoha is one of the largest cities in the five elemental nations, both population and area wise. And when the entire population gathers it is usually an important event. There are two areas set out that can hold the population easily, one is the base of the Hokage monument, where the Third's funeral took place. The other is a field that is the place festivals are held. The base of the Hokage's Mountain is used for serious news while the field was used for joyful occasions.

This meeting was at the base of the mountain.

Tsunade stood on a platform higher up then the rest of the village to give everyone a chance to see what was to transpire. This meeting, she knew, would set things in motion no one wanted yet would possibly save lives.

Hopefully save lives.

Her 'guests' stood behind her with cloaks on over their features. Sure, a Hyuga would easily recognize them, but they wouldn't dare activate their blood limit in her presence. It would be the rudest gesture a Hyuga could do, and Tsunade would not be pleased.

So everyone waited, preparing for whatever news the Hokage decided to impart on her village.

The cloaked figures looked into the crowd recognizing dozens of their friends, families, and others they knew. Naruto saw the rest of the rookie nine, and team Gai. He was surprised to see Sakura actually paying attention to the Hokage and he also noticed the look in her eyes that had changed over the years. It made him think that she might have improved, maybe grown up. He also saw his old sensei, Iruka, with his arm over Anko. They both seemed so… happy. Naruto smiled at them from beneath his hood, causing Iruka to stare back at him. Iruka must have barely seen his smile.

Kakashi was with Kurenai, reading a book Naruto had helped Jiraiya publish. No, he didn't write it, he had just been the courier. Kakashi was not reading the book though, Naruto noticed. Years of being forced to be paranoid paid off when Naruto noticed that the way Kakashi's eye was moving was not the normal way people read. He was gathering information with his peripheral vision. Naruto smiled, he wondered if that was what Kakashi had been doing the entire time.

Nope, Kakashi started reading, having gathered all the information he felt he needed. Naruto sighed.

Ino and Choji, still next to each other, were easily found in the crowd due to Choji's size. Sasuke and Ten-ten were near the front, waiting for Tsunade in earnest. Lee and his sensei, Gai, looked like identical twins but Naruto noticed that Lee had, indeed, gotten stronger.

It showed in his stance. His was the stance of a master in his art.

Naruto hoped he didn't need to fight him again, it would be hard without Hiraishin. Or with it, if he expected it. But... at the same time Naruto really wanted to fight Lee. To taste a true battle again.

Neji was harder to find, lost in the sea of Hyuga branch members, but when he saw Hinata next to him he flinched unconsciously. But the Hyuga was different then before, he could tell. A person accidentally bumped into Hinata and Neji almost killed him.

Like Gaara with Matsuri.

Finally he spotted Shikamaru.

Gaara had spotted him, too.

Cuddling with his sister.

Naruto could feel Gaara's chakra growing slightly, barely enough to be felt.

Apparently Shikamaru would find his potential brother-in-law very…

Troublesome.

Naruto almost laughed at that. Gaara's brother was also next to Temari, but seemed to accept his sister's wishes. Probably after she beat him to a pulp, though. They still wore the headbands of Suna, Naruto noticed, meaning that Gaara would probably head back to his own village.

Until the war started.

Naruto's smile fell from his face.

Why must he always be the bearer of evil things?

First foxes and now news.

_**Baka, I am not evil.**_

_Just misunderstood, right?_

_**Hai.**_

Naruto smirked at the fox. They had developed something close to a partnership of the years. Naruto was now able to control six tails, Kyuubi could hold all nine. But the time it could be held was next to nothing. Nine tails for a minute would come very close to killing him. It didn't seem to matter how long Naruto could hold the tails up himself, but if Kyuubi was enhancing them with his own consciousness the seal started messing with his body. And depending on the strength of the Kyuubi, it could do serious damage to his body. The kind of damage that would be difficult to heal.

It was a failsafe that Naruto thought was not needed, and was actually hindering him if he ever had to go against someone truly strong.

* * *

Tsunade held out her arms in a motion of quiet, instantly the crowds silenced themselves to hear about the four people behind her.

"People of Konoha, it has been some time since the last time I called you together. That time it was to tell you of two of our own shinobi betraying us to leave as missing ninja. This meeting pertains to those same two people, and their partner, Gaara of the Sand. Naruto Namikaze Uzumaki and Jiraiya of the sannin deserted the village three years ago, leaving the ranks of shinobi of any village. What I did not mention to anyone was that they did this under my orders."

The crowd broke into murmurs and confused glances.

"I, the Fifth Hokage, asked five Konoha shinobi and one from Suna, with the permission of the Suna counsel of elders, to go on a mission of great importance to Konoha. One that, if they were seen, would mean… well, it would have not been good. I sent them without their families or friend's knowledge, because any information leak would have been disastrous to the mission. The ninjas on this mission were Kurenai Yuhi, Hatake Kakashi, Nara Shikamaru, Gaara of the Sand, Jiraiya, the toad sage, and Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto."

The three ninja not already on the platform arrived instantly as Tsunade motioned for them to join her.

"The six were to infiltrate the Land of Lightning and collect information on the disappearances that had been going on there for some time. We had reason to believe Orochimaru, the murderer of the Third and traitor to Konoha, was involved. As it turned out, half of the team was seen by the enemy, causing them to go into seclusion until our city was ready to accept them back. It was because they cared for this city and your wellbeing as well as my orders that caused them to become missing ninja."

Naruto smiled at her words.

"I will now tell you what they found. They discovered an instillation within the borders of Lightning that was taking slaves and transforming them, with the aid of Orochimaru and his evil jutsu, into monsters. Sadly, that is not the only thing they were doing with the slaves. They were turned into mindless servants of Orochimaru, but before that they had had their eyes removed and replaced with other eyes… byakugan eyes. Eyes copied from the ones stolen from Hinata Hyuga twelve years ago."

Hinata gasped, as did most of the Hyugas. All of their protection of their blood line had been for nothing, it seemed.

"According to every report I have heard to date, Naruto Uzumaki personally recovered the original pair of eyes while destroying all the copies, making it impossible to make anymore byakugan equipped monsters. After that, the three missing ninja destroyed part of the instillation, leaving the monsters alive. They had hoped that we would find a way to remove the curse seal causing the innocent's affliction. Sadly, we have not. Meaning, of course, that there are byakugan equipped weapons of war out there still."

Worried murmuring swept through the crowd.

"The most interesting part of information we found that day is the one that, until today, we have not taking action on. That instillation was not just controlled by Orochimaru. Kumo and Iwa were involved in its process and had been using it to create an army for what we assume to be around six years before we reached it. Now, I know what most of you are thinking. Doing something of that caliber is cause for war. Need I remind you that Iwa and Kumo were both at near full strength three years ago and we had just survived an invasion from Oto? Now, though, now we have recovered and improved. Most ninja have wondered why I have been sending our ninja on more difficult missions requiring fighting ability against other ninja. It was to prepare… prepare for this day."

Everyone, including Naruto and Gaara, were looking at Tsunade, knowing exactly what was coming next.

And hoping beyond all hope that they were wrong.

"As Hokage of Konoha I will not stand for ninja villages that deny basic rights to the citizens of their own nations. Current animosity combined with information gathered over the last three years has driven us to the brink. I hereby declare war on the ninja villages Kumo and Iwa, and their kages. Should either of those nation's ninjas enter Fire Country they will be spared no mercy. At the beginning of these wars, I am going to introduce four ninja to you. Three are coming back, one is new. Each and every one of them will helping us in the war. Sannin, Jiraiya, the toad sage!" He whipped off his cloak to the cheers of everyone in the crowds. Even the ninja, saddened by the thoughts of war, cheered to have the most powerful ninja from Konoha back in Konoha and on their side.

"Jonin elect, Gaara of the Sand!"

Gaara whipped off his cloak, receiving less cheers, but strong ones from his siblings who looked ready to jump up to the stands.

"His fiancé and chunin elect, Matsuri of the Sand!" Now Gaara got more cheers then when he had revealed himself. The two people not making cat calls and whistles were his brother and sister, surprised their brother of all people got engaged before them. Naruto noticed Temari elbow Shikamaru. Then again, Gaara was two years older then Naruto and Matsuri was as well. Shikamaru wasn't even old enough to marry. Yet his girlfriend was still going to bug him about it.

"And last, but certainly not least, Special jonin elect, Naruto Namikaze Uzumaki."

Naruto was almost too startled by the announcement to remove his cloak. When he did, he did not receive cheers.

Only startled gasps.

He whipped his cloak off to reveal that he had changed outfits. Naruto was wearing black pants wrapped at the ankles with bandages. They were loose pants, for free movement. His shirt was black as well, covering his entire body and not revealing that he had on forearm guards. His headband no longer held back his blond hair, but was nearly hidden by it. His chunin vest, slightly burned in the back, was over his shirt. He just gave a smile at the audience and they had immediately shut up.

What, you'd think they had seen a ghost?

When no one cheered, Tsunade turned around to look at him as well. She almost backed off the platform. Jiraiya's jaw was hanging open and no one old enough to remember even moved.

"Ano… I'm glad to be back?" Naruto didn't know what to say, but that certainly didn't seem to be it when no one moved. He didn't realized the duel meaning or the fact that he resembled the face etched into the mountain behind him so much it was scary. The only difference was the slightly, ever so slightly, shorter hair, and the whisker marks.

Kakashi was wide eyed and apparently mumbling under his mask something about his sensei.

Tsunade was staring at him like he was Kami-sama in corporeal form.

"Hey, Bachan. You can stop staring at me. It ain't polite to stare!"

"N….Naruto?"

"That would be me, Hai."

"You think you could… I don't know… look in a mirror?"

"Hm?"

"N…never mind. Ano… as I said, Naruto NAMIKAZE Uzumaki! Special jonin elect and the person chosen by Jiraiya and myself to lead our forces against Iwa."

"NANI?"

But he was lost in the roar of the crowds. Instantly everyone who did not know him closely broke into the loudest cheer anyone had heard in Fire Country since the end of the last Great War, upon the announcement of the Fourth Hokage. His friends and fiancé stared at him in a mixture of confusion and awe, but most joined in with the applause. He walked over to Tsunade and turned her to face him.

"Bachan! I don't want to lead our ninja! I can barely lead myself without dieing!"

"You won't be making plans, Naruto, that is my job and Shikamaru's job. I'll tell you why later. Now, enjoy the attention. You won't see applause like this for some time."

"But, bachan…"

"Naruto, calm down. Really, everything will work its way out."

"I… alright. But I don't deserve it, or the rank."

"Exactly. If you thought you did, then you truly wouldn't be worthy of it. Jiraiya's report was highly detailed and unless he is wrong, you are just the person I want to go against Iwa."

"You make it sound like you're sending me in there alone, bachan."

"I would not do that, Naruto. But remember, as Hokage it is my duty to choose the best person for a job. In choosing you I know I am not making a mistake. Try to trust my judgment, Naruto."

"Fine, but in return I want Hinata on your list tomorrow for the eye transplant."

"If that is her wish, fine."

"Alright then, deal."

Naruto turned to face the still cheering crowds, smiled and then held his arm out in a wave, not noticing the kunai he constantly had in his hand was still there.

Louder cheering. Naruto laughed and turned to Gaara and Jiraiya.

"Hey, they must really like me!"

Jiraiya had finally recovered enough to smile and shake his head.

"Naruto, you have no idea exactly what you're doing to them."

"_Introducing the Fourth Hokage of the village hidden in the leafs! Minato Namikaze, the ninja responsible for the victory over Iwa in the war!" The Third stepped back to reveal Jiraiya's student in Hokage robes, with a smile on his face. Roaring cheers broke out as Minato gave a casual one handed wave with his special kunai clasped in his hand. Jiraiya laughed as he heard the new Hokage whisper to the wind a barely perceptible, "I'm glad to be back…"_

"Hm? What was that, ero-sennin?"

"Nothing, Naruto. Just… next time you go out in public… wear something like a coat or something…"

"Hm? Sure, whatever. I got this great one that's white with flames on the brim…"

"Maybe you should consider getting another one…"

"Why?"

"Naruto, you haven't looked at your own reflection in a while, have you?"

"The wilds of Stone and Lightning don't have mirrors, no."

"Let's just say... if you weren't betrothed you wouldn't have any problem getting that way."

Naruto looked out at the mass of people still cheering loudly. Jiraiya was right, there were girls staring at him with hearts in their eyes. Naruto decided a little talk would be in order.

"People of Konoha, I really don't know what to say. I appreciate the welcome, and I can say that while my father helped kick Iwa's ass in the past, I will do all I can to help kick its ass now. Oh, and I just wanted to say hi to Hiashi Hyuga and tell him I told Hinata about the whole arrangement thing and she's cool with it. For anyone who wanted to know, I am officially engaged to Hinata Hyuga, the most beautiful girl in Konoha."

Naruto smiled until he saw out of the corner of his eye Jiraiya slap himself in the face.

"What's wrong, ero-sensei?"

"Naruto, you should go find Hinata and make sure she isn't the victim of an assassination attempt anytime soon."

"Ero-sennin, I might be good looking, but I am not that good looking. No one would kill for me."

"Naruto, turn around and look."

Naruto looked back at the crowd to see a large mass of women from ages ten to fifty pressing towards the area of Hinata. She was currently being escorted away by Neji. But she was smiling at him as she went. She gave him a wave and he waved back. Apparently the smile on his face caused a few girls watching to faint.

"Naruto, next time you choose clothes, remember who you look like."

"Wha… oh! You mean… the hair and the clothes?" He looked back at the face behind him, the face of the Fourth.

"Naruto, go home. This meeting is over. Come to my office tomorrow sometime. You need to sign some papers before you actually are reinstated as a ninja of Konoha."

"Sounds great, bachan."

It was over, in fact. The ANBU were called in a moment later to stop the mob threatening to go to the Hyuga estate and get rid of the competition. Naruto just sighed as he threw a kunai towards home, and, at the peak of its flight, reappeared, caught it, and threw it again.

_Girls… you can't live with 'em… and I can't live without one of them.

* * *

_

That night was an interesting one at the Hyuga household. The guard had doubled due to… recent circumstances, and the household was on alert for possible intruders.

But the interesting thing was the dinner of the head of the family.

It was definitely not a Hyuga dinner.

Hiashi had looked up as Naruto had walked through the sliding door with a smile. Hinata and Hanabi had also looked up.

"Otou-san, I'm back."

"Hai, it looks like you are, Naruto. Have a seat, dinner will be here shortly."

Naruto sat in his usual spot. Hinata smiled at him from her spot, and Hanabi gave him a small smile from hers.

"Naruto."

"Hai, otou-san?"

"Why did you decide to send a mob after my daughter?"

"Ano… because… I wanted everyone to know that I was already taken."

"Really? Did you know that of the very few loop holes to a Hyuga betrothal, becoming a missing ninja is one of them?"

Naruto did not like where this was going?

"Hai… I did know that. I figured it was of no consequence due to both the circumstances and the people's involved opinions."

"You would be wrong there. It is entirely up to me."

Silence, Hinata was staring at her father with eyes the size of dinner plates.

"Otou-san, are you saying that… that I can't marry Naruto-kun?"

"Is that what I said?"

"No, demo…"

"The fact is that the two of you no longer have any bond between you that says if or when you get married."

Naruto was beginning to catch on, and his smile which had faded away slowly came back.

"Hm, so I must ask for her hand in marriage from her father. Very well, Hiashi-sama. May I ask for your daughter's hand in marriage?"

"Hai."

"Hinata-chan?"

"Hai."

Hiashi opened his eyes and smiled.

"Good, now that that is over with I can tell you what I wanted to from the second you came in. Welcome home, Naruto! I really just wanted to see if what you said at the ceremony was true, about my daughter and you."

"Otou-san, I can take the playing, but Hinata-chan didn't need that scare."

"So you fell in love? Hinata has been in love with you for…"

"Otou-san!"

"… a long time now, over three years I think."

"I realized it about three years ago as well."

"Excellent, so when is the wedding?"

"Well, I see no reason to change the original time, how about you, Hinata-chan?"

"I…" She would have thought Naruto would want to wait. But if Naruto agreed then… "Of course that is fine!"

"Eager to get married, nee-san?"

"Hai!" Hinata smiled at her sister. Naruto was surprised and pleased by the light banter. Apparently, as he learned later in the dinner catching up with his adopted family, she had grown closer to Hinata after her near death experience and during Naruto's absence. It was good to see.

Naruto told his tale, leaving out some parts he didn't want to be known. The bodies in the factory… the corpses of his fallen enemies… his dreams…

After Hanabi excused herself from the table leaving only Naruto, Hinata, and Hiashi, Naruto decided to address something he needed to tell them.

"Ah, otou-san. You were right about the Kyuubi. He has helped me greatly over the last three years."

"Kyuubi truly helps?"

"Hai. He loans me power and I am steadily able to draw more and more. In a few months I should be able to draw all nine tails and remain in complete control."

"That would certainly be amazing."

"But… there is something he wishes of me in return. It isn't a demand, just a wish."

"What would he want?"

"He wants me to personally kill Orochimaru."

"What? Why would he want that?"

"He never told me, he just expressed the interest in it. We really only met him twice, but Kyuubi seems to bear a grudge."

"I see… well, I can't help you there."

"I know, just felt you should know… you were the first one to ever tell me about his promise."

"I thank you. Now, Naruto, Hinata, you both look like you could use some sleep. Go to bed, and I mean each of you go to your own room and into you own bed."  
Naruto smiled and put his hand behind his head. Hinata blushed and hid her face behind a hand.

Hiashi smiled.

They were so like their parents it wasn't even funny. Hiashi hadn't recognized Naruto from the Fourth for the first minute he had seen him.

And the next day would bring even more surprises.

Naruto walked into what had been his room three years in the past. He had not expected it to have changed, and happy that it did not. The room looked like it hadn't been touched except for cleaning purposes. Here was a picture of team eight, another of Naruto and Shino with chunin vests and Hinata in the middle blushing. There was a poster of ramen, custom made by Ichirakus ramen shop.

It was like he had never left.

Now if only it had been true.

He had done a great service for Konoha.

He was a hero.

He had been promoted higher then he had ever though he would reach in the regular rankings of ninja before reaching Hokage.

He had met new friends and grown closer to Gaara and Matsuri, forming new memories of happiness.

And yet he regretted going.

The memories he formed were double edged in nature.

Naruto knew, from the moment he had used Hiraishin in battle that first time, that he would not be able to come back to Konoha the same as when he left it. His smiles were true for the most part, but deep down inside he felt the pain of hundreds of deaths on his soul. Hinata seemed to ease the burden just by being there.

Naruto gave another small smile, looking so much like the Fourth.

Tomorrow was a new day.

He just hoped he wouldn't snap before the war ended.

* * *

_Naruto..._

_No..._

_Why did you abandon us, Naruto._

_I... I didn't..._

_You watched us die and did nothing, NARUTO!_

_NO! I... I didn't!_

_A ninja like you should never have existed... less then trash!_

_Stop! I... I tried..._

_She died because of you..._

_NO!_

**_Baka, wake up!_**

"Augh!" Naruto screamed as he woke up in a cold sweat. He was panting hard. He set his face in his hands and cried.

* * *

Hiashi was sitting and drinking tea when Naruto walked into breakfast causing Hiashi to spray his tea all over himself.

Naruto had taken Jiraiya's advice and worn his coat.

Too bad it was the one he mentioned with the flames on the edges.

"Minato?"

"Huh? Otou-san?"

"Oh, g… good morning, Naruto…" Hiashi stared as Naruto took a seat.

"Ero-sennin… oops, I mean Jiraiya-sensei, told me to wear a coat today to help fend off the ladies. I saw this one in a shop in northern Fire Country and decided to try it on. The shop owner gave it to me for free, best deal I ever got!" Naruto had obviously never seen a picture of the Hokage in his own coat.

Hiashi took a few photos from his robes before finding a specific one and handing it to him.

Naruto's eyes went wide as he saw the Fourth wearing his coat while standing on the Hokage Mountain.

"Hey, when did you take this? I was never here with my coat!"

"Naruto, read the caption."

On the bottom of the page was written in small letters 'The Fourth Hokage'.

"Oh, this is my father. I get it. I thought I looked different. Yep, no whisker marks."

Naruto just grabbed a piece of toast and a cup of tea before sitting back down. Hinata walked in, nearly fell backwards in shock from having a dead man sitting at her table before Naruto turned around and smiled at her. She smiled back and sat down before drinking some tea to calm her nerves. She would talk about what she heard last night later. He seemed fine.

"I'm going to go see bachan today. She really pulled a fast one on me last night. I figured I would still need to do a jonin test or something. And then she goes and tells everyone I'm going to lead the city against Iwa."

"Naruto, you must understand. Even if you did nothing as a ninja, you look so much like the Fourth Hokage that Iwa ninja will run in fear if they are less then ANBU quality."

"Well, I don't know about that. I was in Stone a lot over the past three years and everyone seemed pretty eager to kill me."

"Really?"

"Hai, but I can handle them. I'm more worried about when they bring their crazy monster warriors into play. They might be hard."

"Kumo finally got the byakugan… I don't want to believe it, but it is true I suppose."

"Oh, it's true. But no more. Oh, Hinata. I made Tsunade promise you will be first on her list today for medical procedures if you want your eyes back in."

"Hai, I would like that."

"Good, because you are almost out of time to learn to activate them."

"Don't worry, otou-san, Hinata-chan would be able to do it even if they gave her a week."

"That, Naruto, is highly unlikely even if it was you doing it."

"I'll just have bachan bet against her and then it will happen!" Naruto smiled that smile that reminded Hiashi so much of his best friend.

_Kami-sama, you grew up Naruto. It's like having his ghost sitting with us._

"Well, I'm off to see bachan. Hinata, you should come over when you're done eating."

"Hai, I will, Naruto-kun." Hinata drank her tea calmly as she watched him stand and walk out the door with a wave. When she didn't stop looking at the door he left from Hiashi just had to say something.

"I'm glad for you, Hinata. But be careful no other woman comes along and steals him"

"Arigato, otou-san, but I think I can handle any fan girls if they come at him less then ten at a time."

* * *

Naruto walked down the just waking streets of Konoha still munching his piece of toast. It was good to be home. He walked past the weapons shop again, glad to find it open. He walked in, intent to order a lot of his new and personalized kunai.

He had only been using regular kunai with his seal code wrapped around them since he was not able to order anything in Fire Country or Kumo or Iwa, and the countries without ninja villages didn't have ninja quality weapons crafters. Now he would finally be able to use the new style he had been hoping to implement. And he wouldn't need to worry about the seals wearing down.

Inside stood, to Naruto's immediate happiness, the man who had sold him his first kunai as well as the weights he still wore.

"Morning!"

The man turned, had his eyes bug out of his head to the point of barely being held in at all, and then ran out the back. Naruto just sighed. Maybe it was a bad idea to wear the coat. Or maybe he should find something else to do with his hair…

The man ran back in with his daughter, Ten-ten, half asleep in tow. She also went wide eyed.

"Naruto?"

"In the flesh."

"Otou-san, this is Naruto, not the Fourth."

"BUT LOOK AT THAT!" Naruto noticed what he was pointing to. A picture hung above the counter with the man, younger, with his arm around the Fourth. He even had the coat on. Even Naruto noticed the resemblance plainly.

"That is… eerie."

"Maybe, but I do have an order for the upcoming war."

"More of those same kunai?"

"Nope, I made new ones."

"New ones?"

"No one ever seems to wonder why only my dad could use his technique. I created my own so I can use it just as good as he could."

"Personalized… jutsu?"

"Yeah, kinda. Here is the design. Take my dad's design, the long handle and seals that are there, and change the blade. I want the blade instead of the ordinary two inches to be four inches. Weight the handle to balance it. The two branches my father had? Make it three on each side instead of one, and fully sharpen each side of each barb." He held out a scroll with the specifics. "Make them of your strongest material and engrave the seals deeply. If the weight goes into the extremes, use a different material."

"I must say this is an interesting style…"

"I made it myself to be more useful to the jutsu. I have the feeling that if my dad had been more wealthy he would have made a better kunai. But when he had finally accumulated any wealth, the war was over and he had no need for them."

"I see… and how many do you want?"

"Ano… probably… six thousand at least?"

Both weapons experts stared at him.

"Is that too much?"

"What? No! I can get it done in batches. But… that will cost a lot!"

"How much?"

"My estimate is... well… at least ten million ryo… and that is a minimal guess!" Ten-ten nodded, knowing that it would likely cost at least double that.

"Ok, that's good. Here, this…" Naruto wrote a note down on a piece of paper. "… is my account number at the Konoha bank. I should have more then enough, so charge a fair rate to it. I'll let them know you are coming and to let you have temporary access. Just don't drain it all. Arigato, see you later, Ten-ten. I hope to spar sometime! Say hello to Sasuke-teme! I'll take the first whenever you are ready to give them. Hopefully within the week!" And with that Naruto was off to see the Hokage. People passing by would stop, do double takes, and then triple takes.

Ten-ten's father would later show up at the bank, check the account balance, and pass out with a smile on his face.

Ten-ten would come in to drag him out with the help of her boy friend, they would find the balance, and then they would stare and wonder how the hell Naruto became one of the wealthiest individuals in Konoha.

* * *

AN: YEAH, Chapter 27 is done. Only three more till chapter 30, and twelve to 40 and 22 till 50!

No, I have no idea how long this is going to go.


	29. Bring It On

AN: I am glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter, I thought I would totally blow the declaration of war. But now I think everyone seems to grasp exactly what Konoha is up against.

Kumo and Iwa v. Suna and Konoha

BRING IT ON!

This is another song title, and putting it as a chapter title does not mean that I own it, like the last one, OR enjoy it in any way.

But, if you want to know, I can play this song on the trombone.

* * *

Chapter 28: Get Ready for This

* * *

"Naruto, sign here, here, here, and… here. Prick your finger, give me a finger print in blood here… and here. Write your full name here in kanji. And, finally, sign here."

"Wait, what's this last one for?"

"We're putting that jutsu you made, the mind sharing one, into the forbidden scroll."

"Nani? But… it is harmless, right? Was anyone hurt while I was gone?"

"Nope, but this makes it a class S felony to share the jutsu with anyone from another village. I have already provided Suna with the information and they have done the same. They are teaching every ninja team how to do it and are training them in its use. If you wander our own training areas you will notice almost all genin teams on up use it constantly."

"Good, that is what it was for. This war will be a test for it."

"Indeed. Alright, now that you are officially a special jonin of Konoha, I guess you deserve to know exactly why I made you, a fifteen year old, the leader of our forces against Iwa."

Naruto was sitting in the Hokage's office early in the morning, having just come from the weapons shop. He was actually getting tired of having people like Shizune and Tsunade gasp and fall down in his presence. He swore he would never wear the coat again until he fought against Iwa. Sure, it would be a hindrance, but psychological war was much easier to wage then physical war.

Unless Hinata liked it.

If she liked it he might have to wear it daily.

She hadn't made a comment about it yet.

"Alright, bachan, I'm interested in why."

"Three reasons. Iwa will act irrationally around you when you announce your name. Now that I have actually seen you... I don't think you will even need to do that, all you need to do is just be seen by one and they will go crazy. Second, troop moral. You probably have figured out by now how much you resemble the Fourth, and if last night's meeting was any sign of things to come I believe not one ninja here would not follow you just because of that. But those two are pathetic excuses, to be true. I wouldn't throw a chunin or a genin level ninja in as commander just for looks. Naruto, I chose you because Jiraiya told me you have become amazing ninja. I plan to test that later today, if you're free. I think you will be, because as soon as Hinata comes in she will be out for about five hours, only one of which will be me working on her. So that leaves us four hours until she wakes up for a little... test."

"What kind of test?" Nearuto was sweating. He certainly hoped it wasn't one of those stupid writen tests...

"One just like the first time we met."

Naruto smirked. Oh, he was looking forward to this.

"Bachan, when you see what I can do… you'll regret not bringing the ANBU with you."

"Prove it, brat."

"Hey, I'm older then I was three years ago!"

"Hai, but no less a brat."

"Bachan… you're so mean." Naruto smiled at her, remembering when he always used to have this conversation with her. But, deep down inside, Naruto knew that these days would come to a close. When the war actually began… well… there wouldn't be a time or place for this.

"By the way, bachan. When do we attack?"

"We were expecting Iwa and Kumo to declare war on us in one month, but now that we declared war first, we're going to attack them first. Naruto, this is a class S secret."

"Hai."

"I'm getting a group of thirty ninja for you to lead on a stalling mission into Iwa. Basically, in two weeks, I want you to go out there and booby trap and use hit and run tactics to basically complicate things. As soon as they seriously start pursuing you, come back. The time is on your own discretion, but remember that for every ninja you kill there is one less killing us here."

"I see… I think I can take thirty ninja and… oh, do that for about two weeks. Any more and we would likely be compromised. If I took less ninja, it would last longer before we were caught, but we would have a greater chance of being outnumbered, surrounded, and killed."

"Now you understand the decisions a Hokage must go through daily. It isn't a decision of whether people die or not, Naruto. People are going to die. It is whether it is them or us, when and how much. To save the most innocent lives is my goal."

"It was the goal of everyone before you, as well. I was a product of that philosophy, remember." Naruto subconsciously placed a hand over his sealed stomach.

Tsunade gave him a tired smile.

"Hai. Now go out there and bring me your fiancé so I can get her ready to fight by your side."

Naruto frowned. That was definitely something he had not been thinking about. But… she was strong and would be very helpful. And if he thought he could leave her…

Tsunade seemed to catch his thoughts as they were occuring.

"Naruto, she wouldn't let you go to war without her unless she was tied down with chakra absorbing wire. And even then, I'm not so sure."

"No, you're right. This first mission will be the only one without her by my side." Naruto walked to the door. But before opening it he jumped and kicked the door, throwing himself spinning out the window.

"Bye, bachan!"

"Baka! You almost missed the window!"

"Is the mini-yondaime giving you trouble?" Jiraiya was sitting in her other window.

"Jiraiya, what the hell?" Tsunade spun around with her hand over her heart. "You trying to kill me before I die of old age?"

"Well, it's not that far off, Tsunade. Eventually you will need to step down. I've noticed… yesterday you looked very tired."

Tsunade slumped into her chair.

"You have no idea. You three, four now, missing for years with only a report a month… it was hell for me. It was like I sent Dan, Nawaki, and a teammate of Nawaki away forever just for doing something I said! Punishing my loved ones for being heroes…"

"So… I would be Dan, right?"

"Shut up. You're right though… I am getting tired. I wasn't joking when I said only a fool would accept the Hokage position. It ages you twice as fast."

"Now you understand why I rejected it. Had to keep up the looks for the ladies."

"Do you need to infuriate me every time we talk?"

"No, but it reminds me of old times."

"I don't want to be reminded of old times… and I thought you wouldn't want to be reminded of them, either? What about…"

"Please, don't mention her name…" Jiraiya wasn't looking at her anymore, but out the window.

"I don't need to, Jiraiya. We all lost something in the last war, I lost Nawaki and Dan, you lost… her, and Orochimaru lost his last shred of sanity."

"I didn't think he ever had one."

"Well, in a few months we might be meeting him in battle. You can ask him then. Until then I need you to do what you do best."

"Spy."

"I want to know the second Kumo makes a move."

Jiraiya tossed her a scroll.

"Here, a temporary summoning jutsu. Just wipe some blood over it and put a decent ammount of chakra into it and Gamakichi will be summoned. If I have news, he will know."

"I'll check daily."

"Good. And Tsunade?"

"What?"

"Being Hokage is a lot of stress, especially in war time. Don't go over board on the saki. We need a commander-in-chief who is sober."

And with that, Jiraiya was gone. Tsunade glanced at the saki bottle on her desk. She took one last pull before tossing it in the trash. Jiraiya might be an infuriating pervert, but he was right about some things.

* * *

Hinata Hyuga was training her most complex movements in the training ground without chakra, hoping to ingrain them into her mind before she was forced to stop her higher level training. She had been told that the one month she would be in recovery after her eyes were replaced she wouldn't want to be using her jutsu. Something about reconnecting nerves and other things that Sakura and Tsunade understood, but Hinata didn't quite grasp. So she would be blind, one last time, for a month.

And that was why she was out, training, preparing herself for the last stretch between artificial sight and true sight. She knew it would be difficult to train when she was blind, her life from three to twelve had burned that into her. So she did the motions of her Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho slowly and gracefully, commiting each movement to memory.

Not knowing that behind her, hiding in the trees, a yellow haired man watched in awe.

Hinata looked like she was dancing in the middle of the small river she had chosen to train on. Her affinity with water showed as she spun around swirling the water around her in glistening diamonds of flying beauty.

She would bring a hand around to protect her left side in a sweeping arc from below her waist to above her head and wouldn't notice as the water followed her movements and swept up from the surface in an arc to fly around her in a circle and fall back into the water.

It was always calming for Hinata to do this, get more in touch with her natural element of chakra.

Then she sensed something.

Instantly her hands were forming signs.

"Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu!"

An enormous dragon head came from the water behind her and swept towards her stalker.

Only to disappear as it hit a large wall of earth.

And then the presence was gone.

No…

Behind her!

Hinata spun around just in time to be tackled to the water's surface by a blur of black, white and yellow.

"Hinata-chan, that was so cool! I didn't know you knew that jutsu!"

"Naruto-kun?"

"Of course!"

"That wall was yours?"

"Of course! What, you thought I only learned Hiraishin in three years? I know a lot of jutsu!"

"Um… Naruto-kun?"

"Hai?"

"Can… can I get up now?"

Naruto suddenly realized that he was on top of Hinata in the middle of a river. He jumped up with a blush matching Hinata's.

"Alright, Hinata-chan. Do you want to go get your eyes fixed and then we can go for some ramen!"

"Alright." Hinata took his outstretched arm and he led her towards the village.

"Hinata-chan, how do you like the coat?"

She looked him over, and smiled.

"Naruto-kun, I like you in anything. The coat is neat. It makes you look like a Hokage, and not just the Fourth. Like you are your own Hokage as well. Maybe... the Sixth."

"Well, that settles it. I have to wear it now." Naruto smiled back at her and gave her hand a slight squeeze. Hinata squeezed back and leaned her head on his shoulder. They continued on in silence to the hospital. Not an awkward silence like would happen every once and a while back when they were genin, but a comfortable silence like what would happen between two people who were deeply in love.

The kind where nothing is said but everything is heard.

Hinata couldn't remember a time when she was happier. Neither, in fact, could Naruto.

Until they were nearly run into by a sprinting Shikamaru.

"Naruto, Hinata, save me!"

It was completely out of character for the lazy shinobi, which was what made them freeze in confusion. Until Shikamaru kept running and they saw exactly what was after him.

A cloud of sand was racing down the street fast then Hinata thought possible. Gaara was following his sand on another cloud. Temari was chasing both her boyfriend and brother on foot.

"Kuso! Gaara, stop chasing him or I'll never get another boyfriend!"

"I do not see him worthy of you."

"Damn it, Gaara, that's no reason to kill him!"

Naruto and Hinata sidestepped the cloud of sand and Naruto gave his friend a salute.

"Gaara, just don't kill him."

"Hai. No spinal fractures, just useless bones like the femur, fibula, and ribs. And fingers. And toes. And…"

And Gaara was gone, still chased by his sister who would throw one of her wind jutsus at him every few steps.

"Makes me glad you don't have any brothers, Hinata-chan."

"Actually… Neji has been meaning to find you since last night. Something about killing you for putting me in danger by your public proclamation of our betrothal."

"Ah shit."

"But don't worry, he might have improved, but so have you."

"Yeah, I have, haven't I?"

Naruto and Hinata continued their walk, still smiling, and laughing at Shikamaru, who had doubled back and was crossing in front of them at full sprint. His father had been sitting at a bar, even this early in the morning, and after seeing his son sprint at a speed rivaling Might Gai, spat out his sake, paid for his drinks, and then followed Hinata and Naruto to the hospital to get checked up.

* * *

"Alright, Naruto. This time I won't be holding back. None of this one finger crap."

"And I will show you as much as I can in the time limit or defeat you, got it."

Hinata's surgery had gone as planned and Tsunade had ensured Naruto she would be awake in time for dinner before dragging him to the arena used in the chunin exam finals. The only people in the stands this time were his sensei, Kurenai, Kakashi, and Jiraiya, as well as a few members of the counsel who were supposed to make sure he didn't break any laws in the duel. Shizune was also on call for any injuries.

Jiraiya appeared in the field for about two seconds, just long enough to say start, and then was back in his seat with a stick of dango. Not many people even knew that this battle was taking place, but now that he had said start a few more people came in stealthily, as to not disturb the match.

Before it was over most of the ANBU, jonin, and a few chunin were seated in the stadium as far in the shadows as possible.

All watching the match of a lifetime.

Their Hokage getting her ass kicked.

The match started out with Tsunade charging him with her fist cocked back. Naruto knew that getting hit by that dead on would likely kill a ninja instantly.

So he let her hit him.

Naruto went flying faster then humanly possible into a wall, causing part of it to collapse. The only one to not stand up and gasp, including the Hokage, was Jiraiya.

"Don't let your guard down, Tsunade-hime."

"Jiraiya, what the hell are you talking about? I FELT HIS NECK BREAK!"

"So? What did I tell you about him?"

A second later the rubble was gone, blown off by a sheer outpouring of chakra. Naruto was standing and rubbing his neck.

"Kami… well the years certainly didn't effect your strength, bachan. But I let you hit me, do it again and I'll give you ten thousand ryo."

"You're on, brat."

Naruto smiled.

And then disappeared.

There wasn't even any flash.

"You're too slow, bachan." The Hokage turned to where someone had just whispered in her ear. Naruto was nowhere. She turned again, this time to the leftover rubble. Two sets of weights that had obviously been hidden in the wrappings on his legs lay on the ground.

"Shit…"

She suddenly was launched into the air, but she had been ready. She spun around and used a chakra enhanced punch to hit what had kicked her before she was a foot off the ground. A kage bunshin smiled before it was hit.

"Using nature manipulation to add electrical energy to your punches. Bachan, that won't work on me. I'm a wind user." Naruto was below her as she continued to ascend from the kick. He was doing hand signs.

"Fuuton: Ninpou Kamaitachi!" Naruto waved his hand in an arc towards Tsunade, getting a wave of highly compressed air to fly towards her at incredible speed. She was also performing her own jutsu.

"Chakra no Tate!" Tsunade held her arms out towards the nearly invisible wave about to hit her and she caught it in her hands before it dissipated.

"I figured that wouldn't work, you are the Hokage, after all."

Tsunade landed, this time not taking her eyes off Naruto. Truth be told, that one hit had hurt.

"Of course, if that could have taken me, we would all be in trouble."

Naruto had already started another ninjutsu. Tsunade prepared for anything.

"Katon: Karyuu Endan!" A large flame dragon came fro Naruto's mouth and flew towards Tsunade with a roar.

"Shit!" Tsunade was not a water element user and couldn't summon water from the air to save her life. Instead, she dodged it and it circled around again. She kept dodging until it finally ran into the ground, dispersing.

"That was impre…"

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" The arena was filled to the brim with Narutos. Tsunade realized that Naruto was in no mood to just talk through a battle. If this was practice for war, talking would not be realistic.

Tsunade smirked before slamming the ground with her immense strength. A crater appeared, but instead of destroying the clones around her, they jumped into the air at the same time her punch hit the ground.

None vanished.

"Finally learned the trick with that one, eh brat?"

"I figured that jumping would work a long time ago, baachan."

Tsunade smirked. Naruto looked around warily before the Hokage kicked the ground. With her second hit, earth pillars erupted from the ground at all angles all over the battlefield, destroying most of the clones. The real Naruto and a few clones were able to dodge the pillars. Naruto and his clones flipped back to solid ground.

"Where is she?"

The arena was filled with three meter tall pillars of stone. It was impossible to know where the Hokage was.

At least, it was impossbile until one of the pillars came flying at them so fast it took two clones out in an instant and threw the real Naruto off to the side, breaking his ribs. Only a few clones were even left, each standing over the real Naruto protectively. Naruto got up with a pained expression. Tsuande emerged from her rock garden with a smile.

"Got ya, brat."

"Yeah, you got me... not!"

The Naruto the clones had been guarding disappeared with a poof. Tsuande was shocked. That a kage bunshin was able to take that sort of damage and still maintain itself was amazing. That was what she thought up until the moment she was kicked solidly in the back and sent head over heels across the ground towards the few remaining clones. She quickly got to her feet only to watch the last clones throw some very special looking kunai into the ground around her.

_If he uses the Hiraishin now…_

But instead of using what Tsunade assumed to be the finishing move, Naruto slowly gathered his remaining three clones a small distance from the Hokage.

Jiraiya sat up in his seat. This looked like Naruto was preparing for something big...

Naruto smirked at Tsunade.

"Not even ero-sennin knew I had this down. I've been working on it for three years, ever since he showed me it once. I think I have it down now…"

Jiraiya took all of one second to figure out what he was talking about before he jumped to his feet and was prepared to jump into the arena to stop this fight.

"Naruto, don't use that against the Hokage!"

"Ah, ero-sennin…" Naruto and his clones looked disappointed.

"I don't know how far you think you've gotten, but if you lost control... do you want to destroy this place?"

"No… fine." Two Naruto's disappeared, leaving only the original and a clone. "I'll use this one."

Naruto held his hand out and a rasengan formed almost instantly. Then the clone began waving his hands around it, causing it to change slightly. It grew green in color and blades of chakra visually started to circle it. Beyond this it looked like a normal rasengan. But its sound... everyone in the stands wanted to cover their ears to escape from the high pitched wail coming off the chakra orb.

"Fuuton: Rasengan!"

Naruto charged Tsunade and, just before she would have dodged, he slammed it into the ground in front of her. She thought he had tripped. Until she saw what it could do with just that.

The following explosion rocked the arena. Tsunade was sent flying into the wall and a crater appeared under Naruto.

And the rasengan wasn't even destroyed yet. It still swirled in Naruto's hands. He let it go and it slowly disappeared into nothing.

"Ero-sennin, I really want to show her that move."

"If you do, make sure it doesn't connect with anything! And are you possitive you can control it?" Jiraiya still looked warry, but he figured that if his technique did get 'out of hand' he could always make new clones to help control it. Even if he himself needed to assist, he would.

"Hai." Two more clones appeared behind Naruto. Tsunade was just climbing out of the wall when she saw it.

_Oh shit! Is that even possible?_

Naruto was standing against the wall at the other side of the arena that was now split with a huge crater taking the place where her rock garden had been. The three clones and Naruto were arranged in a large square. Each of the clones was moving their hands around like crazy, trying to keep a massive, and extremely dangerous, rasengan stable. The original was holding one palm out towards the rasengan still forming and holding that arm with his other, trying his hardest to focus and not move. The three clones eventually slowed their erratic movements and the sphere became solid.

"Ultimate Rasengan." Naruto smirked through his sweat.

Jiraiya smiled as well. Only Naruto, with the strength of a demon on his side, could ever have enough chakra to form that at his age.

"The match is over, Naruto. Get rid of that."

Naruto frowned. He slowly brought the rasengan above his head. It slowed down and started to die down. Most people noticed that, unlike his regular or wind rasengan, the ultimate form was a mixture of a bunch of different colors, blue, purple and red. Jiraiya knew exactly why, but none of them needed to know that Naruto needed to use Kyuubi's energy to produce that.

Hell, he hadn't even though it was possible of him even with the Kyuubi.

This was the first time he had ever seen Naruto make one larger then his Odama Rasengan, no larger than a human head.

And _that_ one was larger then an Akamichi man.

"But bachan, I didn't even get to show you the Hiraishin!"

"I believe you." Tsunade was limping slightly before she put her hand down and healed her leg. "But use it once, just go from that side to this side."

"Hai." And it was done. Naruto dispelled all of the clones kunai, showing that the only real kunai he used had been a couple that had been dangerously near her. He pulled them each out by using hiraishin to go between them.

"Do I pass, bachan?"

"I don't know, ask them."

Naruto looked into the stands to where Tsunade was pointing.

The stands held ninja of all ranks and classes.

Naruto hadn't been paying attention to the stands, and had no idea when they came in.

"Ninja of Konoha, who thinks this man is worthy of his new rank."

Every hand went up.

"Anyone who disagrees?"

One hand went up, then two more.

"Who the hell are you three?"

A poof later and three ninja were standing in front off Naruto.

"The boss here doesn't deserve to be a jonin, bachan. He deserves to have your job."

"Osu!"

"HAI!"

"That way I'll be closer to getting his job someday."

"Osu!"

"HAI!"

The Konohamaru corps.

Naruto smiled before bopping Konohamaru on his head.

"Spoiled brat, have you been training?"

"Of course, how else did you think three genins got into a chunin and up only event?"

"Good point."

Udon and Moegi were both behind him, each with their headbands on, proving they had become ninjas.

"Konohamaru, he can't have my job… yet. And who said you could call me bachan?"

"Fine, then make him vice-Hokage or something. And that's what the boss always calls you."

Naruto grimaced. This was not going to be pretty.

"Konohamaru, how fast can you three run?"

"Very fast! Faster then you!"

"While I doubt that, I think you should run very quickly. Now."

"Why?"

Tsunade had her eyes closed, but one eye brow was twitching. She cracked her knuckles and mumbling something about kids and lack of respect.

"Because bachan is about to kill you."

"Oh."

Those were the last words Konohamaru spoke for a week, for he was soon sent flying over the academy walls with his two cohorts racing after him, hoping to catch him before he hit.

Tsunade straightened up, smoothed her jacket, and then faced the crowds again.

"Well, good. Because he will be leading the assault on Iwa. This exhibition match is over."

Before Naruto had a chance to head to the hospital he was surrounded by the friends he hadn't seen in three years.

Sasuke was the first to come foreword and shake his hand.

"Dobe, glad you came back. I knew you never had it in you to go missing on us."

"Well, you know me, teme. I just had to get away from you for a while."

"Hey, don't make fun of Sasuke-kun!" Naruto spun to see two girls shout that at the same time. Ten-ten was glaring daggers at Sakura. Sasuke sighed.

"Some people don't understand when I say I have a girlfriend and it isn't them."

"Yeah, Hinata-chan told me."

Choji came up behind him, he knew because he was suddenly in the largest shadow he had seen.

"Naruto, good to see ya. That was some fight there!" Choji had graduated from potato chips and was now choping down on beef jerky it seemed.

"Choji, stop eating for a second and let me through!" Ino came from behind Choji and smiled at Naruto. Not a fan girl smile, luckily, just a welcoming smile. "Glad you're back, Naruto."

"Ino, are you… and Choji…"

"Together? Kinda."

"I kinda never saw it coming, but then again I can't expect to be the only one to change around here."

An enormous dog and his rider came out of nowhere. It took Naruto a moment to recognize them.

"Kiba? Akamaru?"

"Yep, glad you remembered us. That was some fight. I wanted to challenge you again when you came back… but now I think I'll just stick with my chunin vest."

"HAI, BECAUSE NARUTO'S FLAMES OF YOUTH BURN LIKE THE FIRES OF THE SUN!"

"Hey, Lee."

"Naruto."

Shikamaru came through the crowd and embraced Naruto. Naruto embraced back… until Shikamaru spun him around and held a knife to his neck.

"Stay away, Gaara, or Naruto gets it." Gaara had been walking towards him slowly with sand around him. Shikamaru looked crazed enough to actually do it.

"Gaara, are you still chasing him?"

"Hai."

"But it looks like your sister likes him."

"I don't."

"You aren't supposed to, but that doesn't give you any reason to make his life hell. And he was one of the ones on our mission, remember? And what do you think Temari will do as soon as she catches up to you?"

"… try to kill me."

"Or she might use the same initiation techniques on Matsuri."

"She wouldn't dare."

"And yet you have the right to do it to him?"

Gaara's sand calmed down a little, the only noticeable change because his face never changed.

"Alright, I will no longer harm you. But if my sister is hurt in any way…" Gaara's sand behind him picked up a piece of the rubble from the wall and crushed it. Shikamaru gulped.

"Troublesome."

"I'm glad we understand each other so much. Good bye."

Gaara disappeared in a swirl of sand and Shikamaru collapsed from relief. Naruto had to laugh.

"Just think, Shikamaru, what he'll do if she gets pregnant."

Shikamaru suddenly went white, and then he passed out.

* * *

_Hinata…_

_Hinata, are you awake?_

"Hm? I… I'm awake."

"Great! Tsunade, she's awake?"

"I'm right here, you don't have to yell."

Hinata sat up in her hospital bed. She reached her hand up to her face and felt bandages covering it all above her nose.

_So, my eyes are finally back. Naruto's promise was fulfilled._

Hinata had tears, real tears, soaking through her bandages.

"Hinata-chan? Are you ok? You're crying!"

"It's a natural reaction, Naruto. Her eyes are producing tears to help moisten her eyes because they are new to her body. They will likely be like that for a while. Come back every morning and I will change the bandages. Whatever you do, do not remove them."

"I won't Tsunade."

"Good girl, now take Naruto's hand and have a good day. Naruto, if she so much as trips…"

"I know, you'll break every bone in my body. And, as I have proven, unless you sneak up on me you can't hit me and two minutes after you're gone I'll be fine."

"Brat, go home."

"First, ramen."

"Fine. I don't care. Just take care of Hinata."

"Like I would ever let her get hurt."

Hinata felt her hand get grasped by Naruto's and she was helped out of the bed. They walked out of the hospital, Naruto taking care to make sure she knew every step and crack in the pathway so she didn't trip or fall.

When they arrived at Ichirakus, Naruto helped her sit down in a booth and ordered. Neither of the two workers were out from the back.

"Ayame-chan! I've been gone for three years and I need to make up for lost time!"

The girl many years older then Naruto popped her head out of the window to the kitchen, went back to whatever she was doing for a second, looked back out and hung her jaw open.

"N…Naruto-kun? Hey, otou-san, it's Naruto-kun!"

"Naruto-san?" The old man popped his own head out of the window. "That's not Naruto-san, that's Yondaime-dono… wait... no, he's dead. Naruto-san?"

"Fifty-five bowls of miso ramen, old man, and one…"

"Shrimp."

"And a shrimp for Hinata-chan."

"That's Naruto-san, alright!"

* * *

The world was back in order. Life was the same as always. Only one thing separated Naruto from happiness now.

The problem?

War.

* * *

AN: Glad I got this out. Oh, and I think we are coming close to 800 reviews. Really, I stopped being surprised at 500, but still... I never expected something like this. I guess a lot of people like Blind.


	30. The First Soiree

AN: Time for war to start. I might just start crying from the fact that fluffiness, no matter how much I put into the story, won't be the same after a hard core battle scene.

Oh, well. Luckily, there are no hard core battle scenes in this one.

And… go.

* * *

Chapter 29: The Opening Soirée

* * *

Two weeks pass quickly in the presence of good friends and loved ones. Naruto Uzumaki found that out in a hurry. It seemed like just the day before that he had come home and been chosen as leader against the forces of Iwa. Just a day ago he had fought the Hokage in front of most of the high ranked ninja of Konoha. Just a day ago he had helped Hinata walk down the streets to get ramen.

Actually, that _was_ just yesterday. In fact, that had been every day the past two weeks.

They had been going out a lot in the past weeks. They would train, eat picnic lunches, take walks, get ramen, and spend time together to make up for the past three years apart. Naruto had sneaked his share of kisses from these dates, and Hinata had as well.

She hadn't even passed out.

Except that time Jiraiya had shown up and mentioned some of the less public acts of married couples to her and how they pertained to wedding nights.

That had been just hours before Jiraiya left once again for Lightning Country. Naruto had smacked him for causing Hinata to collapse in his arms and then had given him a hug. The man was as close to a father figure as he had, besides Hiashi. And they had become close after the last three years. He still remembered the last words he had said before going off to the unofficial war front.

"Hey, I'll be fine. It's me, after all."

Naruto didn't even know what that was supposed to mean, but he certainly hoped the old man, pervert though he may be, came back safe and sound.

But today was Naruto's time to worry about himself, not Jiraiya.

Naruto woke up before the sun, showered, dressed in the attire that had so stunned people at his return, grabbed a few scrolls and headed out the door. He slid the scrolls into his pockets and went off to the gate.

The sun wasn't above the trees yet and his entire force of ninja were waiting for him. Thirty ninja ranging from new chunin to elite jonin. Most of them were people Naruto had never known before, but a few familiar faces were in the crowd.

Ten-ten and Sasuke.

Shino.

Neji.

Kakashi.

The last twenty five ninja were ones he had never met, but looked competent and prepared to follow him to the death.

"We're going out in a loose fan formation, no one goes in front of me, behind Neji, to the left of Shino, or to the right of Kakashi. Those three, take your places. The furthest I want us spaced out is fifteen meters from left to right and ten from front to back. Quiet talking is permited until we reach a few kilos from the border, I'll give the word."

Naruto took a breath before letting it out slowly.

"This is going to be the opening clash of the war, and it will be one of the most important because of it. Two weeks from now we want to have put Iwa on the defensive. If we can accomplish that then this war will last about as long as it takes you to say 'you're dead'. Let's go."

Within a second the group of shinobi had vanished out the north gate of Konoha and into the trees.

They left nothing but some dust and some leafs spinning in the air.

* * *

Hinata woke up that morning with a smile on her face.

She, too, remembered all the picnics, walks, and training with Naruto.

Then she remembered what day it was.

And she had to sigh and put a small frown on her face.

He was gone again.

And he wouldn't be back for an indefinite amount of time. He had said it would probably be about two weeks, and Hinata had told him that it had better be two weeks or she wouldn't be able to fulfill a promise she made.

She hadn't mentioned what promise that was, though.

Hinata sighed again as she went to take a shower. Before she got in, though, she remembered exactly why she couldn't take a shower. The bandages around her eyes would come off if she took a shower. She would only be allowed to take baths with the Hokage and her assistant at the hot springs.

Her eyes…

That sounded so… different… to Hinata. Sort of like saying Naruto instead of Naruto-kun. It wasn't a bad different, just different. Something she would need to get used to in the future. It would sound kind of funny if she kept calling him Naruto-kun even after they were married. And she would need to find a new responce to the question, are you really blind?

"Naruto…-kun."

Old habits die hard.

Hinata went back to her room, dressed for the day, and went to meet with the Hokage for a dip in the hot spring. She needed to feel clean and fresh before she trained for the day.

The morning was clear and beautiful that day, mimicking how Hinata felt inside. As long as this mission went well for Naruto then she would be able to accompany him and the rest of them. And if he tried to stop her, well... he would find out exactly why Shikamaru found women so troublesome.

* * *

Naruto and his team arrived on the border of Fire and Stone around sunset that evening. They had been extra careful to make sure nothing and no one saw them. When they arrived, Naruto formed them into a tighter formation and sent Shino and Neji ahead fifteen meters at all times to make sure they ran into no one. They traveled like this until it was late at night. Naruto knew where he was heading, though. It was midnight before they reached the cavern in the rocky mountainsides that Stone was famous for.

The cave was large enough to fit all thirty ninja snugly. Naruto and Gaara had found it during their many explorations of Stone and Lightning and every other northern nation. The cave already had a fire pit in it and everything, perfectly protected so that from any angle outside the cave the light wouldn't be seen at all. In fact, the entrance to the cave was barely large enough for Jiraiya to crawl through. It would be a good base of operations if they could make an escape route.

"Alright everyone, take out the maps."

All thirty ninja took out their own maps.

"Now, don't mark them in case you are caught, but we are right… here." Naruto pointed to the map long enough for everyone to memorize it. "Iwa is here, as marked. As you can see, we are not far from a direct route from Iwa to Konoha. The most likely path an attacking or supplying group would take is here." He pointed to a ridge on the map that went all the way from north of Iwa into Fire Country. "It is a large cliff that ranges in heights from ten feet to two hundred feet. Due to its position it is a serious issue for Konoha, mainly because we would need to be on the opposite side of it from Konoha to see what was on the bottom. It is a serious land disadvantage for Konoha."

He pointed once again at the line marking the cliff.

"This is our first hit. I want to collapse six major parts of the cliff, making the road at the base impassible for carts and wagons. It will change the most likely direction of attack and supply to this place... here. Our second hit. A small passage through the mountains. At one point the path has hundred foot walls on either side of it. I figure a few well placed explosive notes will block the pathway there for months at least. Besides that, there are over ten more sights that we will destroy unless we find information that would be better off acted upon then one of these. Tonight, get some rest. Tomorrow, we stake out the first hit."

Naruto watched the ninja under his care unpack bedding and start getting to sleep. Before they went to sleep Naruto talked to two people. He talked with Kakashi about finding a ninja with Doton jutsu to dig an escape route out the other side of the mountain. He also talked with Ten-ten, giving her four of his five small scrolls.

Then it was time to rest.

Naruto went to sleep, praying for dreamless nights.

* * *

The next morning the thirty ninja and Naruto woke up slightly after dawn. Naruto ran through their other targets, explaining each and why he picked it, and showing the best possible routes back to the base. He also showed the parts most likely patrolled by Iwa ninja. The day passed with almost nothing happening, just some gambling between the men and women of his team. Kakashi read his book, Sasuke and Ten-ten sharpened weapons of various sizes and shapes. Shino sat beside Naruto and gave him reports about the outside that he would receive from his insects. Neji did some basic juken taijutsu on his own without the chakra. Naruto wasn't even tempted to watch, Neji wasn't half as graceful as Hinata, though he did make up for it with what appeared to be absolutly brutal power. One of the ninja adept in Doton techniques began to work on an escape tunnel, but only got a little way in before he needed to stop so he could go on the night run.

Finally night arrived. The ninja were ready to go the instant the sun hit the mountaintops around them.

"Alright, team six?"

"Ready."

"Team five?"

"Hai."

"Team four?"

"Good to go."

"Team three?"

"Fine here."

"Team two?"

Sasuke, Ten-ten, and Kakashi gave him a thumbs up sign.

"And team one, great."

Neji and Shino just looked at him as he ran through the final instructions.

"It's nighttime, but don't get too loose. I want you each to cover the miles I gave you and find the best spot for a road block. I'll give the final call before we blow them, so wait for me. Alright, let's go."

The ninja crawled out of the hole in the mountain one by one, almost like magic considering that no one even knew the cave went beyond that little crawl space. As soon as the teams were out, they would disappear together in complete silence. Finally team one was out and on their way. Naruto had chosen for his team to take the closest spot on the cliff to Iwa. If it had been bright out, Naruto knew he would probably be able to see the walls of Iwa from where he was standing. The cliff, at that point, was just over fifty feet high. Naruto found the perfect place to place an explosive note almost immediately. As soon as he did he went to check on his other teams. Shino and Neji stayed behind to warn if anyone was coming from the direction of Iwa.

Considering that there was at least a kilometer between each point, Naruto made quick time. Teams two through five all found a perfect place to set their notes, and only team six, who had received a spot where the cliff was only a few feet high, hadn't found a decent place to detonate their note. So they went up to team four's spot where the cliff was over two hundred feet high and placed another trap a few hundred meters away from that one.

The first night was a booming success.

Near dawn the ninja of Iwa were treated to fireworks, and large chunks of cliff face completely destroyed a major supply route of Iwa. By the time the notes went off the entire team was back in their safe hole, no one the wiser.

Except the Iwa ninja, who had also been left a message that night on the village gate.

It had been pinned there by an extraordinary kunai, one even more fearsome looking then the ones the Fourth had used all those years ago. And the message it bore was even more frightening to think about.

_People of Iwa,_

_The Yellow Flash has Returned_

The village ninja brushed it off as a lie or a prank. The village elders laughed at it.

None of them would laugh in the coming weeks. Or later that morning, for that matter.

* * *

"That went perfectly, team. Get some rest." Naruto smiled at his team as they curled up in the near perfect darkness of their cave. Only a small fire lit the faces of the ninja still awake. Naruto went over to the most experienced of them to tell his plan to.

"Kakashi, I'm going out. I feel an appearance on the walls of Iwa will do them good."

"Naruto, that might be taking this a little far. Getting caught would be extremely bad."

"Kakashi, I think that they will be too stunned to chase me. If they actually do, I have the Hiraishin. I'll leave a trail of kunai behind me for a quick getaway and pull them up as I come back."

"You're the leader, Naruto."

"Make sure everyone gets some sleep. You know the procedures for if I don't come back."

"You'll be back." Naruto smiled. It was good to have the sudo-mentor back. Kakashi gave him one of his smiles through his mask in response.

"Damn right. Have a decent sleep."

"Hai."

* * *

Iwa woke to the explosions of their cliffs, but that was not the most important thing to happen to them that fateful day. Around nine in the morning, when all the ninja were up, a figure no one had ever expected to see again appeared upon the Tsuchikage's Tower. A figure standing tall and proud in the morning light, his white coat with flames on it billowing in the wind. His yellow hair blowing wildly as if to tell the world that he wasn't dead.

That he was coming for them.

He stayed just long enough for almost everyone in the village to get a distanced look at him. A kunai later and he was gone in a yellow flash.

No trace of a ninja would ever be found. No foot prints, no finger prints, no nothing.

Ninja who had been completely down to earth one day suddenly believed in ghosts. Or conspiracy theories.

Whatever people believed, at least one thing was known that day in Iwa.

Something was going on, and it wasn't going to be good for Iwa.

* * *

"You should have seen them, sensei! It was like the entire city suddenly froze."

"Sounds interesting Naruto, let me sleep."

"Alright, Kakashi, sleep for now. We'll just prepare for round two tonight… oh, this is going to go well."

* * *

"You! Explain what is going on outside right now!"

"Tsuchikage-sama! A large amount of people are claiming to have seen the Yondaime Hokage reborn!"

"What?"

"It is true, I saw it myself. He was standing on the roof of this very building!"

The Tsuchikage, a man only slightly younger then the Third Hokage had been at his death, frowned.

"Bring me a bingo book."

"Hai, Tsuchikage-sama!"

The frightened man ran off, leaving the Tsuchikage to his thoughts.

_It is not possible for him to have returned, but I recall only a year ago there was a sighting of this so called, yellow flash returned._

The man ran back in with the black book containing info on all missing ninja and known rouge ninja. The Tsuchikage, known to access information at incredible speeds, flipped through the book barely leaving enough time to see a picture, let alone read.

Then he came to one page and stopped. He smiled and handed the book back.

"Thank you, return it. And tell everyone that this "yellow flash"… will be killed very soon."

"Hai… Tsuchikage-sama!"

_So, an orphan born on the day the Yondaime died. Yellow hair, A-ranked missing ninja from Konoha. I think we have our yellow flash. I think I'll let him keep up his charade. After all, what is the benefit in killing some nameless orphan brat when I can claim to kill the reincarnated yellow flash?_

The Tsuchikage smiled a smile of pure evil. If another person was in the room, they would have felt the temperature drop a few degrees.

"Yellow flash, indeed. Cheap copy cat. He will regret pranking my village on the eve of war."

_And if all else fails, I'll just send in the 'special forces'.

* * *

_

And so the nights and days passed in Iwa for Naruto's team. By the eleventh day all of Naruto's targets had been hit. The valley between mountains had been filled up. The two main roads leading south from Iwa were in ruins. The closest city in Stone to Konoha had been completely cleared of ninja the hard way. Through it all, they had gathered one piece of information that they would act on that last night before heading home. Iwa was scared out of its mind. Every incident his team took part in, Naruto would plant a note from the Yellow Flash. Iwa didn't know what to think.

The last hit, the one they had decided to hit after finding the direction all traffic in Iwa was traveling from, was the shipyards where Naruto had once, nearly three years in the past, tried to collect a bounty on Matsuri's father.

The same place that had once been shipping in byakugan monsters.

Naruto was going to enjoy this hit, sink or sabotage all vessels.

When night fell they all packed up completely, never to return to the cave during that mission, and left towards the sea to the east. They arrived shortly after midnight, glad for the scare tactics that made citizens and ninja alike hide at night.

That night mission was the most important mission any of them had gone on.

As they all found out.

* * *

Naruto and team one were flitting in and out of the shadows of the buildings on the water front, searching for anything and anyone who might be in the way. Teams two through six were sabotaging the boats as they went, everything from fishing vessels to the slaving vessels that Iwa and Kumo so enjoyed to have.

Until they came to the last boat on the dock.

The only one occupied by awake members.

The one being unloaded.

Naruto had his entire group stop with a hand sign. Two people were speaking on the dock in front of the boat and Naruto could just barely hear their conversation.

"Heh… this the last shipment?"

"Hai, no more are coming this way. Kumo is keeping the rest for themselves."

"Stingy bastards, they don't have the Yellow Flash after them."

"I heard about that in the pub. He really back?"

"Nah, I don't believe it. But some people say he appeared inside Iwa on the Tsuchikage's tower, no less."

"That takes some balls for anyone to do that."

"Well, whether or not it does, these things are guaranteed to rip those balls off, am I right?"

"Hai, Orochimaru-sama personally sealed these ones. I saw one of the guards get ripped in half for getting too close."

Naruto's eyes went wide. He motioned for his team to fall back. He stayed though, just in case he had heard wrong.

_How? I got rid of the eyes! They shouldn't be able to create more of them!_

Naruto watched as the man on the dock signed a sheet and then ninja guards came down the gangplank with two and a half meter tall monsters in between them.

They did not have byakugan eyes.

_Oh shit! Why did we not think of that? Of course they wouldn't stop just because they no longer had special eyes! Now I feel really stupid... but at least these ones don't have the Byakugan._

The monsters trudged down the gangplank, docile in their chakra absorbing chains. Naruto grew sick to his stomach.

_Three more years. That means… the armies of monsters are much larger then we originally thought. And now there's the possibility of multiple instilations. They were probably a thousand or so strong a while ago... now..._

_Ten's of thousands?_

Naruto motioned for his team, just out of sight, to head home with Shino in the lead and Neji in the back. Naruto would be along shortly.

He had some unfinished business with those monsters.

And he wasn't thinking just about the two and a half meter tall ones.

Naruto threw a kunai with an explosive tag on it into the hull of the boat and another into the gangplank.

"Huh? What was th…"

An explosion ripped through the docks, blowing a huge hole in the ship and causing it to quickly sink. Three of the monsters were destroyed in the explosion or were drowned by their own huge wings that made it nearly impossible to swim with their chakra sealed. Five more still on the boat perished.

The two men who had been talking about the reality of the yellow flash were found pinned to the walls with kunai, never to engage in the slave trade again.

The monsters unloaded already were found by the populace of the port city who had no idea what they were.

But then again, something so destroyed and in pieces is hard to recognize anyway.

* * *

Hinata Hyuga woke up the next morning to a pleasant day. Today was the day she would officially be able to remove her bandages. But that wasn't what was so pleasant about waking up that day. It was the fact that she woke up to a kiss. It made her lips tingle slightly and her grin widened before she turned over in her sleep.

"Mmmm… Naruto-kun…"

"Hai, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata suddenly woke up completely, sat up in bed, smacking her forehead into Naruto's, and then fell back to her bed in slight pain.

"Hinata-chan… that's no way to treat a guy who just got back from a mission. A headbutt. Deadly..."

"Gomen! Naruto-kun... come over hear where I can feel you, then." Naruto got within reach of her and she found his chest. She blushed as she ran her hands over his chest to his arms and then up to his face, and then she pulled him in for a real kiss and an embrace. Even though she was blind, she could certainly tell that it was Naruto.

"I'm so glad you're back, Naruto-kun!"

"Well, why wouldn't I come back if I get greetings like this?"

"I don't know…"

"I gave my report to Tsunade last night, do you want to go get those bandages off?"

"More then anything, Naruto-kun."

"Then let's go!"

Naruto grabbed her hand and pulled her out of bed before she threw him out so she could change.

"Hinata-chan?"

"I need to change, Naruto-kun!"

"Don't change, Hinata! I love you just the way you are!"

"Naruto-kun... you really mean that?"

"Of course!"

"I still need to get dressed."

"Huh? Oh! I get it... changed as in get dressed. One of the those playing with words things. Yeah, not good at those.

Hinata giggled. Two weeks of absolute boredom mixed with a light amount of worry. And now it came to a close, and even though it was the beginning of a war, Hinata felt happier then she had in years. It had something to do with love.

And Naruto.

And how they both involved her.

* * *

"Alright, Hinata. I want you to try to open your eyes. Go slowly or the light might get to you."

"You could just turn the lights off, bachan."

"Then what would be the point if she couldn't see anything, brat?"

"A…alright. I'll try."

Hinata Hyuga clenched her small fists on her lap and concentrated on and action she had not really done in a long time. It turned out to be easier then she had thought it would be. Her eyelids slowly opened a little, then half way, and then she blinked a few times for good measure.

In front of her stood two blond haired people she thought of as some of the most important people in her life.

Both had saved her life at different times.

Both loved her.

But that wasn't the part that mattered.

Hinata saw them.

She actually _saw_ them.

It wasn't some chakra that was flowing through her headband. This was actual sight. With real eyes!

Her eyes!

"Wow, Hinata-chan you have beautiful eyes!"

"A… arigato, Naruto-kun…"

"Are they working fine, Hinata? It is hard for me to tell without a pupil to check."

"I… I can see."

"YOSH! Where is Shikamaru, I need to rub it in his face. He told me it was 'feasibly impossible' to get your original eyes back after so long and told him I would. Feasibly impossible my ass. I totally did! And they work! Now you can be even stronger!"

"Hai!"

"Hinata-chan? Are you crying?"

"Hai!"

"Ano… does it hurt?"

"Naruto-kun… I love you." Hinata jumped out of her hospital bed and onto Naruto. She started kissing him, and stopped suddenly.

"Naruto-kun… you haven't showered since your mission, have you?"

"Ano…"

"Naruto-kun, I love you, demo…"

"Kami, she's right Naruto. You do stink."

"Way to ruin the moment, bachan."

"Here, Naruto-kun. I'll walk home with you. This time… I don't need to hold your hand."

Naruto looked shocked for a moment, surprised the next, and the crestfallen.

"Naruto-kun…"

"Hai…"

"I don't need to hold your hand… but I want to."

Naruto immediately had an about face and grabbed her hand.

"Great! Let's go home and show otou-san! And then you owe me a kiss!"

"Shower."

"Then a kiss!"

Hinata blushed and a barely perceptible nod came from her that Naruto noticed.

"YOSH!"

"Hinata, don't keep him all to yourself today. I need clarification on some of this report!"

But they were already gone.

"Kuso…"

* * *

_Raikage-dono-_

_We have a problem._

_Konoha ninja thought of, until now, to be missing ninja, are probably working with Konoha again. Evidence points to one Uzumaki Naruto, chunin A-ranked missing ninja, as the perpetrator behind a series of attacks in Stone that have caused a lot of problems with supplying and travel in the area._

_The problem is that this ninja is mimicking Iwa's greatest and most feared foe, the late Yondaime of Konoha, the Yellow Flash._

_And doing a spectacular job of it._

_He apparently knows the Hiraishin that spelled doom for us last time, or at least a way to mimic it. Moral in my troops is low, as the age makes him a perfect candidate for a reincarnation of the Yondaime, and my men are afraid to face him._

_I suggest sending in the shock troupers earlier then we had planned before. If we are able to defeat him, my troop's moral will soar once again._

_Please inform our mutual friend that we will need his help in the activation and order giving phase of the attack._

_Sincerely,_

_The Tsuchikage

* * *

_

_Tsuchikage-dono-_

_Fine. Name the date._

_He will be there. I pay him enough._

_The Raikage_

_

* * *

_AN: Shorter chapter because I needed to get the scout mission over with, reveal one thing, and put her eyes back in. War is coming soon. So... either look forward to it or enjoy this while it lasts. 


	31. Why Souls Die

AN: Ok, so you had to wait a day to get this. I stayed awake all night writing the last one. Now… I am kinda on precipice with this fic. I haven't decided which way I am going to take this. It, technically, is the final stretch. Once the war is over, that's it. The fantasy is complete.

So, which path do I take?

Tragedy? Comedy?

War? Small ninja fights?

Invasion? Fields of battle?

Deaths…

Don't review telling me where to go, I really need to think it through myself. I think this chapter will decide exactly the way I am going to go.

I decided to write this with my more sobering music. Put the fluff away, mostly, and show what happens when ninja go to war.

Shit… I just decided while I wrote that sentence.

Don't hate me, but there isn't going to be much happiness from here on.

Enjoy… the last story arc of Blind.

Countdown to endgame…

5 or 6 chapters…

Bring it on, you say?

Oh, will you regret that…

* * *

Chapter 30: Why Souls Die

* * *

_The day the war officially started for Konoha started like any other day. The sun rose over the trees. The birds sang a song as summer began to wane. People happily went about there business, not caring that it was only a little over a month ago that the Fifth Hokage declared war._

_They should have cared._

_Maybe they would have been ready.

* * *

_

"We gather today…"

* * *

Ten ninja flash through the trees. Each with weapons in their hands. The leafs brushed past them, not slowing them down…

They were egging them on. Begging them to do what they were best at. Desiring the death of the ones who harmed their kin in name…

_Drown us in their blood…

* * *

_

_The Fourth Hokage woke up that morning like every morning, pissy and annoyed at the sun for daring to wake her. After all, she had to have had a celebratory drink last night when Naruto had come in and gave her his complete report and then go off with his girlfriend._

_A celebratory drink that lasted five hours._

_The Hokage stood at her window, glaring down the sun before turning to her city._

_A beautiful city, to be sure. One that had turned around from its biased ways and accepted all of its contents as its own. Tsunade smiled, knowing that she had had little to do with that besides some well placed praise._

_And there was the blond ninja, now._

_Looking frightened._

_That was new._

"_Bachan, the Hyuga complex is under attack!"_

"_WHAT?"_

"_Kumo nin are attacking with…"_

"_Kiri ninja."_

"_Ero-sennin!"_

_Tsunade spun to see the red clothed sannin on her desk, more beat up then she had ever seen him before unless you counted the time she had nearly killed him._

"_Jiraiya! What happened?"_

"_No time, help the Hyuga's first. Kiri sided with Kumo and Iwa."_

"_Shit! They promised to stay neutral!"_

"_Promises are worth nothing between people who are masters at deception, you know this."_

"_Damn, let's go Naruto!"_

"_Hai."

* * *

_

"…to celebrate…"

* * *

Thirty ninja jumped through the trees, ahead of the fifty in chase. They were making all speed north.

Just north.

There was no other plan.

The ninja behind them were faster, though.

They would catch up before they hit the border.

And then they would die.

* * *

"_Naruto, why are you here? Wouldn't you be fighting?"_

"_Hai, but otou-san told me to get you 'cause I'm also fastest."_

_Tsunade ran through the village over its rooftops, cursing the placing of the Hyuga complex, right next to the forested east side of Konoha. If an enemy was to successfully infiltrate Konoha it would have been over that side of the wall._

"_How many?"_

"_Too many. I saw fifty or sixty."_

"_And the Hyuga are repelling them?"_

"_No. They are trying to stall them. Kiri ninja took out the guards, we think. It wasn't until I heard Hinata scream and kill someone in her room that anyone even knew what was going on. They had already, I assume, silently killed the people on their way and were working the entire clan complex."_

"_Shit. So Hiashi barely got together some ragtag group of half asleep Hyuga?"_

"_Hai."_

_An explosion came from a short distance away._

"_Bachan, I need to get back there. I'll leave you to catch up."_

"_Go."_

_And he dropped his weights and was gone.

* * *

_

"…the lives of the honored dead."

* * *

A hand signal.

The pursuing ninja split in two, flanking the prey. Only one man stayed directly behind them.

He waited for the signal.

Then he would watch his foes die.

Slowly. Ever so slowly.

* * *

_Tsunade arrived to the easy to find battlefield only instants before her ANBU did._

"_Tsunade-sama, your orders."_

"_Find Kumo or Kiri ninja and kill them. If practical, capture one. Go."_

_The eight men disappeared. Tsunade walked up to the main gate and kicked it open. Inside there were ten or so battles between Hyuga and enemy ninja. Tsunade walked up to one of the ninja distracted by his opponent and took his head in her hand before crushing it to the ground, shoving it over a foot underground. His legs twitched slightly from their place in the air. The Hyuga just nodded and went to help his brethren._

_Tsunade walked up to the doors leading inside and opened them._

_The opening hall was filled with ninja, all fighting against one man and young woman. Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga were holding off almost twenty ninja. A shout caused them all to disappear, proving to Tsunade that they were at least jonin. She gave a quick order to Naruto and Hinata to gather as many Hyuga as they could and follow them, making sure they died._

_She continued on.

* * *

_

"Fifty-three ninja, all but one being of the Hyuga clan, died in the attack this morning…"

* * *

Five ninja on their left.

Four ninja on their right.

One ninja behind them.

None of the thirty knew this.

They didn't even know they were followed. Such are the abilities of high level ninja of the leaf.

A flare of chakra from behind stopped them in their tracks.

It was only one ninja, they could take whoever it was.

* * *

_She walked calmly through the burning rubble of portions of the house, killing any ninja that came within arms reach. Many Hyugas had their lives saved when the Hokage passed through. Many died before she came, and were avenged when their foolish killer tried to attack the Hokage._

_She had not been given the rank for no reason._

_She arrived at the counsel chambers, noting that three of the counsel members were down, two more were wounded, a few guarded the door and a few were wandering around, stunned that they were under attack in their own home. The same people had been stunned twelve years ago when Hinata, the heiress, had nearly been kidnapped. Bodies of the dead attackers littered the floor like a carpet, drenching the wood flooring in their blood._

_She frowned at their lack of leadership before continuing to the chambers of the only ninja in the clan that truly mattered.

* * *

_

"…including three members of the high counsel, three genin, four chunin, six jonin…"

* * *

They all drew kunai and turned, dropping to the ground to have better footing. Thirty against one? Not even the Hokage would stand a chance against thirty jonin, one being one of the legendary swordsmen of the mist.

A young man walked out of the trees with his head to the ground, not even glancing at them.

"A boy? They send a boy to do a kage's job? How do you think you're going to kill us all?"

"Fools."

"What?"

"I don't need to kill you."

"Nani? What's the brat talking about? If it weren't for the headband I'd think you were just some village brat."

"I don't need to kill you… because… when you killed her…"

* * *

_Tsunade arrived to find a very distressing sight. Hyuga Hiashi, leader of the Hyuga clan, was killing the last ninja in his office brutally and painfully with a juken strike to destroy his internal organs and another kick that would break both of his legs._

"_Hiashi?"_

"_They killed her…"_

"_Who, Hiashi?"_

_He just looked behind him at the floor._

_It wasn't just the bodies of the enemies on the floor._

_Two eyes, byakugan glaring at the ceiling, would never see again.

* * *

_

"…as well as the current genin, Hanabi Hyuga."

* * *

As soon as you killed the girl my father and fiancé loved… you were already dead."

A tear trailed down the kid's cheek and a few of the ninjas had the gall to chuckle.

They stopped when he raised his face and they saw his eyes.

Red.

He smirked at them, tears still trailing down his cheeks, and an enlarged… fang… was visible in his mouth.

"I may not have been that close to her but… for causing people I love pain… you are dead."

Then he snapped his fingers.

Instantly, thirty some kunai came flashing out of the trees around them. Only one ninja was even hit, and it was a glancing blow.

"What? You think some stupid trap, even though I have no idea how you set it up, could hurt us? We're jonin! You're, what, a genin? That man there, he is a swordsman of the mist. And S-ranked ex-missing ninja." He pointed to a tall man who didn't speak. "You think some kunai can hurt him? Or your stupid henged eyes?"

"You obviously don't listen to reports from your ally, Kumo. Haven't you heard? The Yellow Flash is back. Reincarnated, even, in the body of one Uzumaki Naruto."

"And I guess that is you?"

"Hai."

"So why don't you do us in? Why just stand there and smirk at us?"

"I am giving you a few more moments to enjoy the life you once knew before you died. Breathing, thinking, talking. As for the smirk… what do you do with dead bodies?"

"I've had just about enough of you, boy."

"Good, because I'm sick of you face. Say good bye."

"That's it. Men, kill…"

Flash.

* * *

"This attack is a message to us all. We must be under constant vigilance now that war is upon us. This tragic attack will never be repeated if we have our wish, but we must all be prepared. All civilians are dismissed, all active ninja stay. Time has come for this war to actually begin."

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki stood panting in the trees, the bodies of the dead still falling in his sight. Suddenly his wife-to-be was at his bloody side, embracing him and crying. He extended an arm over her, trying to comfort her. Naruto did not look down at her, though. Instead, he tried his hardest to control his emotions and the demonic chakra that was rising to the surface like it had always had. Like a muscle reflex, his demonic chakra was trying to help him like he was injured. But Naruto didn't want his fiancé scared of him.

She hadn't seen him in the four tailed form or higher. And he wanted to keep it that way. A Hyuga showed up briefly in front of him.

"Your orders, commander?"

"The kunai, retrieve them and give them to me later. The swordsman, make sure he is dead and bring his sword with us. Be careful of it, though. Some have traps in them. We leave for Konoha immediately, hopefully we will get their before the sun completely sets."

"Hai, commander. And Hinata-sama?"

Naruto looked down at the still weeping woman clutching desperately to his blood stained black outfit. It only brushed his thoughts that he was glad he didn't remember his jacket that morning.

"I will protect her…" It wasn't so much a reply to the man, but more of a statement, a command, to himself.

"Osu, command."

Naruto carefully picked Hinata up in his arms so she could still hold him and weep.

It was a good thing to do, to cry for the dead.

Naruto just couldn't afford the time.

If he could, he would cry till he withered away.

* * *

"Hokage-sama, your orders?"

"It has been a very long time since we had more then a token guard on the entrances to the village. Shikamaru."

"Hai, Hokage-sama?"

"I want you to develop before tomorrow morning an effective and efficient way to guard the walls and entrances based upon are current situation."

"Hai."

"Second, every ninja from genin team to ANBU needs to be prepared to be sent on a mission of war at a moments notice. I will attempt to provide at least an hour between the time you are informed and when you leave, but I can't promise anything. Jiraiya."

"Hai, Tsunade?"

"I want to know everything, and I mean everything, that happened on your spying mission that should have lasted weeks and lasted only a few days. Right after I am done here."

"Hai, Tsunade."

"Lastly, Mitarashi Anko."

"Hai, Hokage-sama?"

"Gather ten ninja excelling in stealth, patrol the border of Fire and Lightning, kill anything crossing it. Send a report daily, take the Hawk ANBU behind you, he knows a summon that will help. Go as soon as possible."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Well? Go! This meeting is over." If it hadn't been for the deaths that morning, Tsunade would have smiled at the professionalism shown by her ninja. She turned to Jiraiya and motioned for him to follow her.

"Well?"

"Stopped in Kiri to see one of my informants. I thought the neutral alliance we had with them was too good to be true, but had no proof. When I arrived the guard attempted to kill me. Not any guard, either. Some high quality ninja. At least one of them had the potential as a kage. I fought my way out and then used some of my more dangerous jutsu to escape. Killed the kage level ninja in the process, thought you would appreciate it."

"Arigato."

"Needed to return with a few busted ribs and a cracked leg. When I showed up, Naruto was here and talking about an attack with Kumo and something else, I assumed what I had feared. Turns out I was right. Kiri is with Kumo and Iwa now."

"Shit."

"Hai. Now it is two against three."

"There are no other nations large enough to ask joining us, it would only endanger them because next to all nations are between us and them."

"Tea country would come."

"Hai, that they would. With their entire group of ten ninja and they would desire ten percent of the spoils."

"It isn't about the conquering…"

"I know that! But people like that would just as soon sell you out for a guaranteed cash in then wait for the war to end."

"True."

"The Wave Nation is with us already, but they had no ninja. They are shipping us weapons in good faith."

"Kind of them."

"Hai, we have only a few weapons shops here and Suna has less. With wave producing weapons for us we will be able to keep the fight going. River Country is also with us, but are sending their ninja, a grand total of fifty, to Suna."

"Every one counts, Tsunade."

"Damn it, Jiraiya, stop being so CALM!" Tsunade slammed her fist into the table, to angry to focus chakra into it. "With Kiri on their side the fight is no longer even. You heard Naruto's report, they all likely have those monsters. The first time they see battle… well, the moral we gained from you all returning will no longer matter."

"I understand that, Tsunade, but let's focus on something we can do. You never let me finish my report. Kiri is, right now, confused as to what is going on. Apparently the group known as the Akatsuki tried to take it over a few months ago and they were killed in the process. But, from what I saw of Kiri, they have been seriously damaged and most low level ninja are gone. Their numbers were literally cut in half. I was able to meet my informant soon enough to know that."

"So?"

"Attack."

"Jiraiya, is this some sick joke?"

"No, attack. I will personally lead it. Give me one hundred ninja of Konoha, thirty of Suna including Gaara and I can take that nation."

"You're serious."

"Hai, about as serious as a human can get, hime."

"… I'll think about it."

"I need to know now, Tsunade."

"Why now?"

"My informant was caught in the attack on my life. He will be a hard one to break, but he will. As soon as they crack him and he tells them what he told me they will prepare for an outright assault. As far as they know, their ninja put up a bold face of a powerful Kiri when they fought me."

"Alright, I'll go for it. Who do you want?"

"I'll make a list and give it to you tonight, you can send it to Suna and we can all leave in… two days. I won't hold back, either. This attack will either last less then half a day or I will personally destroy the village."

"You plan to perform a hostile takeover?"

"Hai, it won't work unless we eliminate every last ninja, but I intend to do just that."

"Alright. But right now I am sending a note to Wave, maybe they can give us some ships..."

"They will, I talked with them on the way."

"Alright. Make the list."

"Hai, and Tsunade…"

"Hai?"

"You are handling this like sensei would have wanted you to."

"Arigato."

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki landed in the Hokage's study without a sound just as Jiraiya walked in the door. The sun was setting on the western horizon. Red light surrounded them.

"Tsunade, I have the… oh, Naruto. Gomen for your adopted sister."

"Naruto?" Tsunade looked up from some paperwork. She hadn't seen him come in. He didn't look good. He looked like he had run through a storm of blood with specks of it all over his jonin vest. "Hey, Naruto, are you ok?"

"Fine. We caught them and I finished 'em off."

"Good, we already buried the dead."

"I know, Hinata wasn't happy. She wanted to be there. She wasn't even able to cry when she saw her sister die. We just had to keep fighting."

"Hai, I know. But this is war time. Tell her I am sorry."

"You tell her."

"… alright."

Naruto took a seat.

"I assume you have another mission for me now. That attack will not be ignored, right?"

Tsunade looked at Jiraiya, he nodded behind Naruto's back.

"Hai, Naruto. Jiraiya?"

"Naruto, I am leading a direct assault on Kiri in two days. I am taking with me one hundred and thirty ninja from Konoha and Suna. You are on my list as a group leader."

"I will be ready. Anyone else I know on the list?"

"Your team will consist of Hyuga Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke, some girl listed only as Ten-ten, Hyuga Neji…"

"He was wounded in the assault, but should be able to leave."

"Fine. Rock Lee, Aburame Shino, and Kakashi and Kurenai for good measure. You will be working closely, hopefully, with a group designated by Gaara of the Sand and Nara Shikamaru's group."

"Alright. I appreciate you putting Hinata in my group." Naruto's face broke slightly into a small smile so Jiraiya knew he wasn't being sarcastic. He was getting worried about the normally loud and talkative blond.

"You will be briefed tomorrow, so get some rest."

"I… will try. 'Night." And with that statement, Naruto vanished from his chair. Jiraiya glanced and Tsunade and she glanced back. That last statement was not promising.

"Hell, the nightmares couldn't have started already, could they have?"

"I don't know, Tsunade. But I certainly hope he doesn't break down on this mission. Afterwards? Fine, Hinata or I can help him through it and he will be stronger for it. But if he does it during the attack…"

"We'll fail."

"Not just fail. Once we land in Water Country, there isn't any turning back for a hundred and thirty ninja. I barely escaped that island with the aid of my toad jutsus. If we fail, then we die."

"Then pray to Kami he holds together."

"Pray? No, I don't pray anymore."

"Why not? If he is there, it can't hurt."

"Last time I prayed, Tsunade, it was to bring back… but nothing happened. I don't pray anymore…"

"Jiraiya…"

"No… don't start. I don't have time for a lecture on getting over the past. I know I gave you one, but... now isn't the time. I'll… I'll just work through it… like I always do."

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki walked into the heavily guarded Hyuga clan house like any other day. He headed to his room, but stopped at the door when he heard crying on door over.

Hinata's room.

He hesitated at his own door before walking further down the hall to her door and opening it. Hinata was sitting on her bed holding a picture frame in her hands and using her eyes that she had replaced just a few days ago to cry rivers down her beautiful face, marring it with red streaks. Naruto wasn't noticed until he sat down next to her and rubbed her back. Hinata just seemed to cry harder and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Hinata…"

"N…Naruto… I… I never thought… I thought it wouldn't come home…"

"I know…"

"And now… and now…"

"Shh…" Naruto didn't have anything to say. He had nothing that could make her feel better or stop her tears. Nothing he could think of would heal the hurt she felt and it made him feel so helpless. No jutsu could be made or learned to stop her pain.

And Naruto felt the same pain twice over because of it.

* * *

Hyuga Hiashi, father of two brilliant children, knelt in the small shrine erected just that day to mark the attack. He kept being drawn to the name at the bottom, the name of one of his children.

She had been so much like her father.

Just like Hinata was so much like her mother.

It hurt the same… no… more. It hurt more then when Hinati left. Hinati had left him with two lovely daughters to love and care for as well as an adopted son. She had left him with a few last words of love.

Hanabi had been killed trying to hide behind her father.

And some foolhardy ninja had hit her with a kunai. Right in the heart.

Hanabi had been dead before she hit the floor. Hinata had seen it happen. Hiashi had turned to see her fall to the ground. Hinata had run, dangerously, after the man towards the entrance. Hiashi had kept fighting. There was nothing he could do for her if he died.

But it had been in vain. She had died. His lovely daughter, strong and proud and beautiful, had died while he had fought to save her.

_Oh Kami, how you mock the Hyuga for their haughtiness._

_How you bring the self-righteous down with the sword and the curse of death._

Had a Hyuga been looking, they would have not seen Hyuga Hiashi at the foot of a shrine, remembering the young woman who had been second in line to be heiress.

They would have seen a heartbroken man mourning the loss of his daughter, weeping in anger and sadness, and trying to make the piece of his heart that had been full that morning seal itself up instead of bleeding and oozing its loss into his soul. Hiashi was not a Hyuga at that point in time. He hadn't been one the night after he lost his wife, either.

A counsel member, if they had seen him, would have thought about how it made the Hyuga look, to weep like that. But if he had approached Hiashi, he would have been dead soon after.

The Hyuga were nothing without the people. And he had lost two of the four people that kept him sane. What was the name of Hyuga compared to the deaths of the actual Hyuga?

Nothing.

And when branch members approached the shrine to do exactly as he was doing, they didn't care when they saw the head of the main branch with his head in his hands and his elbows on his knees, weeping as if the world was ending. They joined with him, moaning and crying on their own for their own family and loved ones. Ones who would never again come home and eat dinner. Ones who would never play with their children again. Ones who would never laugh and jump into their arms crying 'daddy' or 'mommy'.

A pathetic sight, love is.

Beautiful in so many ways and yet, when it is gone, it eats at your soul like a cancer.

The Hyuga, whether in secret or in the open, whether in the arms of a loved one or alone, all felt the cancer of lost love in their souls.

The war had come home.

And it had brought pain.

* * *

_Commander Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto,_

_Your team has been assigned the mission and all have accepted. Your team for operation 'Umbrella' is as follows._

_Uchiha Sasuke_

_Ten-ten_

_Hyuga Hinata_

_Rock Lee_

_Aburame Shino_

_Hyuga Neji_

_Yuhi Kurenai_

_Hatake Kakashi_

_The enclosed scroll holds a map of the assigned target as well as orders specific to your team. The second scroll, sealed inside the first, is emergency orders for your second in command, who you can choose, should you become unable to lead._

_You, specifically, Naruto, are important to this attack. Jiraiya, the toad sage, is in charge of all the commanders. Follow his instructions to the letter. We know some of your friends are not informed on the presence of the Kyuubi. If he orders you to use its power or you find it in the mission's best interests to use it, do so._

_It might be the deciding factor in the battle._

_Good Luck, final briefing and exit for your team is five in the morning. They have already been informed and will be there. Upon reaching the boats in wave open the instructions. Your boat is the _Peacekeeper_, a fishing vessel._

_The Fifth Hokage_

_Tsunade, the slug sannin.

* * *

_

At four o clock in the morning, Naruto was awake and at the gate. He had with him ten scrolls, one for each of his team and two for Ten-ten. He prepared himself by doing some laps around Konoha. After making sure he was totally prepared he summoned a toad of average size, about the size of a wagon, and waited for his team.

They were all ready fifteen minutes before leaving, even Kakashi.

"I am glad you are all on my team, I know your abilities and we can work well together. Even the teme works well with me."

"Dobe."

"Anyway, before we leave, I want to check your gear. Gamakouri, here, is going to carry it until we reach… the goal."

"That's nice of him."

"Hai, it's costing me about a months salary in pokey. All gear except what you will want in case of ambush place here."

Piles of kunai pouches and bags of explosive notes landed on the ground. Everyone was decked out for… well… war. Ten-ten only threw about ten smaller scrolls and one large one on the pile, keeping one for herself.

Naruto pulled out his ten scrolls, handing a named one to each person, two to Ten-ten.

"This is a sealing scroll. Each contain about fifty of my personal kunai that allow me to perform the Hiraishin. Don't attempt it." He pointed at Sasuke how just gave him a huff. "It will kill you to do it. Believe me. Put some of your blood over the kanji inside and my kunai will be summoned. During an emergency or on my order, release them and, due to a special seal Jiraiya gave me, I will know. I can use them, if I am relatively close, to end the emergency. Understood?" Everyone nodded and pocketed the scroll. Naruto nodded to Gamakouri and he wrapped the pile in his tongue and swallowed it. Most of his group was startled.

"What? You thought he would carry them on his back? He can't carry them through the summoning world like that."

They all nodded and then Naruto faced them all. He looked them all in the eyes and made sure they were really ready.

"I don't need to tell you all this, but this mission might decide… no… will decide whether we win this war or not. We might still lose if we win this fight, but we will definitely lose the war if we fail here. So we aren't going to fail. Jiraiya has told me that the goal is capture, hostile takeover. If that fails… well… let's not fail. The alternative is not a good one."

"Naruto, we'll win."

"Yeah, we didn't train for years just to where a shiny metal plate on our head."

"Some of us did it for revenge. But that doesn't matter. Whatever reason, we are here, under your command, now."

"Naruto, we are fifteen seconds late."

"Alright, Shino. Let's go. Oh, and keep what I said down, no one was supposed to know the exact purpose of our attack until we reached the boats. Be careful out there. Shino, in front. Neji, in back. Everyone else, spread out, but not too far. For those on it, same as last time. Keep the others in line."

"Hai."

"Move out."

The leafs of Konoha swirled around the team as the raced for their goal.

The war had begun, and it was time for Konoha's first serious strike.

And they would strike.

Oh, how they would strike.

For the innocent dead.

* * *

AN: Welcome to war.


	32. The Invasion of Kiri

AN: I am glad everyone took Hanabi's death so well. As I said in a review reply, my actual intent up until that paragraph was to kill Hiashi. But I chickened out, knowing two things. One, Hiashi is damn strong and didn't deserve to die in his sleep. Two, Hanabi's death would affect the city less and Naruto/Hinata/Hiashi more.

And now it is time for everyone involved to pay seriously.

Also, I made a little boo boo that doesn't matter at all. I said that the reason Kiri was weak was that Akatsuki tried to take it over and failed. They actually took over RAIN, not MIST. But I couldn't find rain on a map and figured that they were close. Oh well. In my story it was MIST.

Ha, take that canon!

* * *

Chapter 31: The Invasion of Kiri

* * *

Kirigakure, the village hidden in the mist, was one of the few places Naruto had never been. Throughout his journeys as a missing ninja, Naruto had been to every country accessible without passing through Fire Country. Basically, that meant all of them barring Tea, Water, and Ocean Countries. This worried him.

He liked going in to a mission knowing _something_ about his targets besides just data. Naruto was a visual learner, and this map wasn't helping. He had memorized it completely, his duties, his team's tasks, the time line, everything from street names to likely places for alleys not on the map.

But he still didn't _know_ anything.

Naruto leaned over the front of the small fishing vessel. They were still an hour from Water Country and the sun was setting. The attack would begin the next morning, so they had to get in place overnight. It wouldn't be that hard, but they were still forced to be on the other side of the island then their landing point. The furthest target for Naruto's team, the hardest to hit. Because Jiraiya had faith in his team.

In him.

And Naruto didn't want to let him down.

"Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu." A small flame burned his map to ash. He sighed and stared at the water again.

_My team's task… are they up for it? Maybe I should tell them to just go and get some ninja and kill them and I can do the hard part._

_**You know that wouldn't work with the timeline, Naruto.**_

_Hai, but the danger of this task is high… higher then any other as far as I can see from the map and Jiraiya._

_**So what? You ain't up to it?**_

_I'm up for it. I just don't like the idea of leading my team to their deaths._

_**Then give them a choice, they won't abandon it.**_

_Good idea, at least it will partially clear my conscience._

"Naruto? Are you alright?" Naruto turned to see Hinata looked at him from only a few inches away. She was leaning over the rail as well.

_Probably thought I was sea sick._

"Hai, arigato." He couldn't help but smile at her.

"Oh… alright. Are you sure?"

"Hai, but could you get the rest of the team to join me here. I think it is time I told you all the mission."

"Alright, Naruto." Hinata walked off, leaving Naruto to stare at the water flowing around the boat.

_**You're worried more about her then anyone. Worry about yourself, kit. I can feel your mind, remember? You're closer to falling into depression then when the villagers beat you daily.**_

_I'll be fine._

_**For both our sakes, I hope so. If you go all crazy on me, though, I won't be able to protect you. You feel like laying down and dieing, remember who else is in here and give me control. I'll pull us through.**_

_Fine. But it won't happen._

_**Sure, kit. Whatever you say.**_

"Naruto?"

Naruto turned around to see his team gathered. He had them all take a seat on the deck.

"We're about an hour off shore from Water Country. When I say so, we are water walking the rest of the way. We will be approaching the cliffs the surround the western most half of the island while the boat continues north-east. We will be silent and stealthy as we go around the island to our designated point of entry. When we are five kilos out from Kiri we will meet up with team 5 led by Gaara no Sabaku."

"The crazy guy from the chunin exams?"

"Hai, but don't tell him that. He has changed a lot and even has a fiancé now. I traveled with him for over three years, and we work well together, but stay away from his sand attacks."

"Right."

"When the attack begins we are going to have a serious task. We can't be seen, first of all. By anyone. The main assault force is going to go at the east wall. We are going to come in from the north-west, and our job is simple. We are going to blow three generators and… the Mizukage's Tower."

"Nani?"

"Naruto, you can't be serious. No one here is a kage level ninja."

"Hai, and you won't be going against the kage… hopefully. We are just going to blow the tower. The three generators and the tower are going to blow exactly five minutes into the attack. If we fail, that throws the whole timeline off."

"That is not a lot of time, Naruto."

"No, it is not. That is why our team has nine people. Three groups of three for each generator and then we each, independently, plant our special explosive notes on a side of the tower."

"Special?"

"I have them, about the size of a decent parchment instead of a tiny note. Could blow a twenty meter crater into Konoha's walls."

"Kami…"

"Neji, Ten-ten, Sasuke. Group one." He handed them a map he had copied from his other one, it didn't hold the exact orders for the mission. "Your generator is right… here."

"Alright."

"I marked the quickest route between our entry point and the generator, and from there to the west side of the tower. But don't follow my map, use your own abilities and make sure, above all else, that you are not seen."

"Hai."

"Shino, Kurenai, Hinata. Group two. Your generator is here, north of the tower and the closest to the entry point. But, as luck turns out, it is also the hardest target. That building there is a barracks and that one is the Mist ANBU headquarters. Be extra careful and don't rush."

"Hai."

"Demo…"

"Hinata, I can't take you with me in my group. Group three is Me, Lee, and Kakashi. We are some of the fastest here and our generator is on the other side of the town, right here."

"A…alright."

"My group, I… have another mission separate from yours. You two will be setting the tags and I will be… elsewhere."

"Naruto, what is this? What are you talking about?"

"The secondary mission objective is for me alone. I am to infiltrate the kage's tower and rescue our spy, who was captured recently."

"You, Naruto Uzumaki, are going to infiltrate the tower of the strongest ninja on the island? While we plant explosives on the building. And you have less then five minutes to get out before the tower collapses."

"Hai, and I also need to… nothing."

"Don't 'nothing' us, Naruto. What were you going to say? We're your friends, even Sasuke, and I don't want to detonate those tags if you are still inside."

"You don't have a choice, if the rest of the plan is to work then that building must go down on the five minute mark."

"Naruto… what are you going to do?"

"I… I have been ordered to, after rescuing the captive and escorting him from the immediate area, to find the Mizukage and... keep him busy until Jiraiya reaches him."

His team just stared at him. He just stared back.

"Our team has the hardest mission of all in this assault. Gaara's team is going to help us, but they aren't going to come in until the building blows. At that point, Gaara will use his amazing sand abilities and pretty much wipe the floor with the ninjas. He is leading thirty Suna ninja and they are going to back us up at the five minute mark. As soon as those tags blow… well, just get to the tops of the buildings and don't touch the sand."

"Naruto… you're going after a kage?" Hinata looked in shock. So did the rest of his team, even Kakashi, who was the first one to speak up on Naruto's behalf.

"Well… if Jiraiya thinks you can… then I'll agree."

"What? Kakashi, you can't seriously think Naruto, a fifteen year old, can go against the Mizukage?" Kurenai looked about ready to hurt him and he just shrugged.

"Jiraiya… has never ever sent a ninja on mission that could not be accomplished. If he chose Naruto for this mission then Naruto can accomplish it. Have any of us really seen what Naruto can do after three years with a sannin? Remember the fight he had with the Hokage? It might have been little more then a spar, but Naruto took her down. Not only that, be he has an attack that would pretty much eliminate a city block, am I right Naruto?"

_About what? About the fact Jiraiya never sent a ninja on a suicide mission? Hai. That he actually gave me the mission I told you? No._

"The ultimate rasengan can vaporize about… I could destroy the Mizukage's Tower in one shot. But, why waste the chakra when I can just use regular explosives?"

"See, have a little faith in our commander. The Hokage isn't just showing the kid favoritism by putting him in charge of so much. She believes in him."

"I believe in you, Naruto. Just… please… be careful." Naruto smiled at Hinata, she had a weak smile on her face that was obviously forces, and Naruto gave her a forced one in return. Both knew that the other wasn't truly smiling, but there wasn't anything they could do about it.

"Alright, just make sure you aren't in that tower when those bombs blow."

"Fine. As long as you all stay safe and make sure they go off exactly five minutes into the mission. Later then that and our forces at the front will be pushed back before Gaara can get in. Earlier, and the ninja heading toward the battle won't get caught in the sandwich."

"OH, NARUTO! I GET IT! SAND-WICH, AS IN GAARA'S SAND WILL "SANDWICH" THEM! YOUR HUMOR IN THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION OUTSHINES EVEN MY FIRES OF…"

Lee was knocked unconscious by Neji, getting him a round of applause. He stood up and bowed before sitting back down.

"That's the mission in a nut shell, be ready to move out on a moments notice. Oh, your gear…" Naruto bit his thumb and did some hand signs.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Out of the smoke appeared Gamakouri, who immediately spit out the tools for the mission.

Covered in toad oil.

"Naruto… is that… covered in… what I think it is?"

"Um… I forgot about that. Here, anything not flammable can be cleaned off with a quick Katon jutsu, anything else can be dried out quickly. Frog oil is very useful stuff, actually. Bottle it and it can act like kerosene. It also acts like a bug repellant… Ten-ten, put down the katana… oil is good for cleaning weapons, right? Ten-ten? Sasuke? Ok, now put the weapons down, that isn't funny."

Naruto jumped overboard to dodge a hail of kunai and shurikin from the weapons users. Sasuke sighed before belting on his quickly drying katana. Ten-ten opened up all her scrolls and made sure the kanji hadn't been screwed up. They weren't. It would take more then oil to smear the chakra infused ink that she used for sealing.

Hinata grabbed her stuff, four kunai pouches filled with explosive notes wrapped around kunai. She was ready for her mission. She picked up her special scroll Naruto gave her and pocketed it within easy reach.

Neji didn't use weapons of any kind. It wasn't Hyuga like. But he did carry a pouch of explosive notes and wire for setting small traps.

Kurenai was arrayed as usual, as was Kakashi. They were always prepared for battle. Naruto handed each of them two of the special explosive notes, one for the generator and the other for the tower. He handed the last two to Neji, who accepted them with a grin.

It seemed Neji liked explosives.

Rock Lee double checked his weights, which he had developed into weapons that actually accentuated his style. His weights were about eight to nine inch long bars about one inch in diameter. He had six on each leg and had been at that amount of weight for a long time. He had done something that had surprised everyone two years ago and had them chained together, creating a six bar long sansetsukon. A weapon not even Might Gai understood.

All anyone understood about it, including Lee, was that it was flexible and he could use it to hit long range.

Hard.

He had used it in a spar with Neji once and just the tip had hit his Kaiten.

Neji and his Kaiten were thrown twenty meters into a rock and a week of unconsciousness.

Naruto thought he might even be stronger then him to be able to wield that weapon. And he never, ever, wanted to be hit directly by it. No one had been, yet, and that was good. But Naruto had seen Lee's personal training area and noticed how trees seemed to have been brutally cut in half by blunt instruments.

Lee pulled them out to make sure the high strength chain was still intact and then placed them back. Both of his leg weights were like that, but he only could use one at a time.

It made sense, being that they were obviously very heavy.

Shino just sat in his place, buzzing slightly.

They were ready.

* * *

The boat arrived at their departure point a quarter kilometer from the cliffs just after sun set, the sun still giving them enough light to reach the cliffs easily. Lee had had to be carried until they reached the shore, but then they all ran along the thin strip of beach at the bottom of the cliffs. They ran and ran until around midnight when Naruto gave the signal to stop. He hopped up the cliff and stopped at the edge of the top, motioned to Neji and Shino, who hopped up and made sure it was clear. Then they were all off again, this time through the woods, following Naruto faithfully.

It was three in the morning when they arrived at a small clearing in the woods. Naruto signaled a stop and then ordered them all into the trees. Naruto stayed on the ground and everyone found out why when a stream of sand came up around the blond to his neck, covering him entirely. No one moved as a red haired man walked into the clearing, saw who it was and smiled.

"Naruto, good to see you again."

"Gaara, good to see you as well. How is Matsuri? Still determined to marry you?"

"I could say the same about your own fiancé, is she here?"

Naruto smiled. He still hadn't been released from the sand because Gaara didn't know if it was truly him yet. By asking for Hinata, he was testing to see if it was truly him. If Naruto said no, she wasn't for her own protection, that 'Naruto' was a fake. If he had Hinata show up, then it was Naruto.

"Hai. Hinata?"

She jumped out of the tree next to him. Gaara sighed and released the tiresome smile that he never wore.

"Good, I was wondering when you would prove yourself, Naruto." His sand disappeared into the ground, showing that it hadn't been from the gourd on his back.

"Your control is getting better."

"I could say the same of you, Naruto. It has only been a little over a month now."

"I'm glad to see you here. Where is the team?"

"Hiding."

"Good, you will come in as soon as the building goes, right?"

"Hai, at exactly five o five, if I am correct?"

"Hai."

"You're really engaged to Hinata, Naruto? I thought that was some ploy to appease the fan girls?" Kakashi jumped from the trees, followed by the rest of the team.

"I wouldn't lie about something like that, sensei?"

"Kakashi, it is good to see you again. It has been… almost three years since we met and spoke."

"That is right, Gaara. I was surprised at the announcement that you were engaged to the girl we found while on it, but I guess that's what time changes. She here?"

"Hai. She will be playing an… important part in the invasion."

"I see…"

Gaara gave a small smile at Kurenai, who nodded back. Gaara nodded to Sasuke, who also nodded back.

"You have a strong team, Naruto."

"They need to be."

"I will see you later today then?"

"Hai, and good luck." Naruto grasped his shoulder and Gaara grasped Naruto's. "Failure isn't an option for us, is it?"

"Never has been, never will be."

"Then we don't need luck, do we?"

"No."

"Then… stay strong, Gaara."

"Same to you, Naruto."

And Gaara vanished in a whirling storm of sand. Naruto wave his team over.

"Stay in the trees, get some rest. You have about one hour and then you will be awakened for final check up. I got watch, so rest. There is no excuse for making mistakes because you're tired."

"Hai."

Then Naruto was alone and the ground again. He walked a short distance towards Kiri and leaned against a tree, reaching out with his senses to find anything that might harm his team.

Like a mother fox, protecting her kits, Naruto Uzumaki stayed alert the entire night to protect his precious ones.

* * *

"Hinata… Hinata"

_Mmm… so soft._

"Hinata, my hand isn't a pillow. Time to get up."

_Hm? Naruto?_

"Naruto? Am… where…" Hinata woke up to find herself not in the tree she had been in the night before, but laying on the barren earth possibly underground due to lack of light.

"Shh… Hinata. A patrol was coming near, so I hid us all down here. But it is time to wake up."

Hinata sighed and sat up, unconsciously releasing Naruto's hand at the same time. She immediately started preparing for the mission. She stretched and did exercises to warm up slightly in the chilly misty morning of Kiri. Naruto stayed and watched her for a moment before realizing he still had to wake the others. When he left, Hinata stopped doing stretches and started trying something else, very discrete hand signs.

By four thirty the team was out of the makeshift burrow and nearing the walls of Kumo. Shino reported absolutely nothing, and the mist was messing slightly with Neji's byakugan. They reached the wall almost before they knew it, the mist was so thick it was difficult to even see ten meters ahead, and even then everything was blurry. They couldn't see the top of the wall.

Four fifty.

Ten minutes.

Naruto had given his own team a ready and they were prepared to jump the wall the instant Naruto's hand dropped. Naruto knew, from intelligence reports from Jiraiya, that this wall held probably three ninja. They would be distracted for a split second when the explosion on the east wall went off, giving Naruto the chance to take them out quickly.

Four fifty five.

Five minutes.

He gave his team a once over again, just glancing into each of their eyes. They were ready.

But was he ready?

_**Kit, you never told them the truth.**_

_I didn't want them to worry. They all accepted their own missions._

_**Those weren't the original missions, Naruto, and you know it. You are supposed to kill the Mizukage within the first five minutes of the mission, not just keep him busy.**_

_Damn it, Kitsune! I know, alright! But if I took my entire team into the tower to rescue one man I can guarantee that at least two or more would die. I didn't want them to worry about me, so I told them Jiraiya would be coming._

_**I know, but you have sent them off to do something that, well… made your own mission doubly dangerous.**_

_I know, ok. I know. I could have tried convincing maybe two or three to go with me and then sending only two at each generator, but I am willing to risk myself for them._

_**And, obviously, the success of the mission.**_

_Damn right!_

_**I just hope you understand the problem you're in. You're going against the Mizukage alone and have five minutes to either kill him or die in an explosion.**_

_I can do it._

_**Can? But will you?**_

… _I can only try._

_**Very well. But I can't repair you if you re in pieces, Naruto.**_

_I'll keep that in mind._

Four fifty nine.

One minute.

Naruto's arm raised.

Everyone tensed to jump and immediately go after their targets. Naruto would handle the guards and then go to the tower.

Five o clock.

Go.

Naruto's arm dropped and the instant they were about to cross over the top of the wall and explosion ripped through the opposite side of the city. Naruto saw, like it was slow motion, four guards in sight of him turning towards the explosion with shock in their faces. Naruto pulled out four kunai and threw them in a fan that would go close to each ninja. Time was still abnormally slow as one of the ninja saw Kurenai falling on the other side of the wall towards the city streets and then, turning further, saw more ninja. He was about to raise his voice.

But he never got the chance. Four flashes of light later and four headless ninja marked the end of the only people who had seen them. Alarms were blaring throughout the city and people were staying indoors. Naruto stopped for a moment to see each of his teams disappear into the mist.

"Good."

And then Naruto, who had dropped his weights outside the wall, disappeared towards the Mizukage's Tower.

And the battle he hoped would last less then thirty seconds.

* * *

Kurenai's team, Hinata and Shino, were running as a team through the mist in the direction of the generator. They had to stop every few seconds to duck into an alley as they were passed by ninja jumping the rooftops overhead towards the east. One minute into the mission they had arrived at the generator. Kurenai slapped the note onto the massive generator that powered a third of the city, giving it enough chakra to exactly burn out at the five minute mark. Hinata and Shino were guarding the door to the generator building, making sure no one came in. They were glad that everything in the city was automated when it came to the power supplies.

Their primary mission completed, they went off through the still thick mist towards the direction of the tower. Shino would stop in every alley way and they had to compress their chakra as kiri ANBU zoomed overhead at speeds that would make most ninja gape.

They had nothing on Naruto or Lee, though.

Hinata saw the tower first, her eyesight being better then most, and Kurenai managed to set the explosive note with exactly one minute to go. They all went back into an alley way to wait and guard the tag, making sure no one saw it and removed it.

* * *

Ten-ten, Sasuke, and Neji reached their generator two minutes into the mission, having run into absolutely no one on their way. Neji was finding the best place to set the tag while his teammates guarded the door.

"Neji, aren't you done yet?"

Neji grunted as he climbed out from under the generator. No one would find his tag, that was for sure. At least not in the time they had left.

"Hai, le… Sasuke!"

Sasuke spun, already drawing his katana. He cut the Kiri nin into two pieces, from the left side of his waist to the upper right shoulder.

"Shit, that was close. We need to go, now, before anyone sees us or him."

"The body."

Sasuke grabbed half of the body and threw it out of the door way and into the building, and Ten-ten did the same. Neji hid them under the generator before they all ran out towards the tower.

They made it with thirty seconds to spare, and retreated to an alley far enough away to be safe from the blast, but within line of sight with the tag.

"Damn, at least no one saw us and got away."

"Hai. Remember, rooftop as soon as the tower goes."

"Hai."

"Hai."

* * *

Kakashi and Lee were running top speed through the most misty and shadowed streets they could find, glad the east wall was still blocking the sun and that they had planned the mission so early. They made it to their destination without being seen and Kakashi planted the tag.

"Kakashi-sama, there is a lot of fighting. I can see our forces from here, I think."

"Good, that means we are doing our job. Now let's get this last tag set before we join our comrades."

"Hai, Kakashi-sama."

"Hm? What?"

"Oh, how can you be so cool?"

Lee's tears at Kakashi's coolness ended instantly as random kunai with an explosive note came through the door and, luckily, only blew a hole in the back of the building. Kakashi motioned for Lee to follow and they went out the newly made exit.

They arrived at the point at the base of the tower exactly a minute before the bombs were to go off. Kakashi had it set instantly, and him and Lee turned around to try to get in on the main battle, but not before using a small amount of chakra to put a genjutsu on the tag so no one could see it if they weren't looking for it.

* * *

Jiraiya stood on the east wall, taking in the battle with a sense of disinterest. His forces were not doing too bad, but the Kiri ninja were using the mist to their advantage, killing many ninja before they knew what was going on. Only three minutes into the attack and he could see that most of Kiri's ninja were at least at the sight of the battle. The Mizukage was still missing, probably in his tower still.

Unless Naruto had reached him yet. In which case Jiraiya could join the battle without having to worry about a kage joining the fight when he had used some of his chakra.

Four minutes in and Jiraiya was starting to worry, his own ninja were skilled, but the Kiri ninja were fighting on home territory. His ninja were dieing at a two to one ratio. Each one of Kiri that would die, two of his own would die. And that wasn't a healthy ratio for his side, especially when Kiri had three times the amount of ninja he had. If it kept up like this, he would be forced to join early. Ninja blood ran through the streets near the breach in the wall like a river. Jiraiya knew that it was part of the plan, but he suddenly wished the place could blow up sooner.

And then it did.

Spectacularly.

* * *

Naruto had reached the tower with four minutes and thirty seconds to go. He was inside faster then the cameras on the entrance could follow, using a hiraishin to get in. He arrived in the welcoming chamber, a wide and open area built for the giving out of missions, to find four ANBU ninja in guard formation around the stairs that led upwards.

"Surrender, or die." Naruto smirked.

"Funny, I was about to say the same thing. But, look at the time." He threw a kunai directly towards the middle one. The ANBU, stupidly, caught it. Instantly he found himself with a rasengan in his chest. The person next to him had his throat cut open completely by another kunai. The third and fourth backed up when both of their fellows fell to the ground. Naruto held his smirk before stretching out his hand. Instantly ten kunai flew from clones he had created on the ceiling, the two ninja didn't have a chance.

Naruto instantly turned and flew down the stairs that had been left unguarded. He ran down and down towards where the obvious place for this particular spy would be. He would be kept here, in the most heavily guarded and highest security place in the city. Not because of who he was, as most spys would be sent to the ANBU interrogation.

But because of what he was.

Naruto killed a man with a couple shurikin, obviously a chunin or genin guarding the cell, when he shouted for him to halt.

As if a ninja on a mission would 'halt'. He obviously didn't understand the word 'invasion'.

Naruto arrived in front of the only cell in the Hokage tower one minute and fifteen seconds into the mission. Inside was a pitiful old man, blind by the looks of it. He was chained to the walls tightly even as he sat in a chair. He was bound with chakra absorbing wire and hundreds of paper seals of all kinds covered his body and the chains holding him in the chair and to the walls. Despite what they could have been, explosives and alarm notes, most just read simply, 'seal'. These were the most extreme chakra suppressing actions Naruto had ever seen done to a man.

_So this is the four tailed jinchuriki?_

_**Hai, and don't touch the seals.**_

_Understood._

Naruto blew the door off of its hinges with a rasengan before sending clones to untie the man and destroy the seals and chains. It took an agonizing minute to complete, and the man was still unconscious when he was done. He had a clone carry the man as Naruto headed out of the door.

And right into the Mizukage.

"Who are you, and, if I may ask, what are you doing with my prisoner?" The man was probably slightly older then Kakashi. They were five meters apart. He had the calm stance of an expert killer. Naruto had been hoping to find the man in his office and surprise him.

He should have known the man would personally stop the kidnapping the four tails.

Naruto motioned for his clone to return to the cell, leaving only Naruto and the Mizukage in a thin, dark, hallway underground.

The worst place to be when a building is threatening to collapse on you.

"I see no reason to lie, I am taking this man away from here as a personal favor to my sensei. My name? Well…" Naruto pulled out a scroll. "My name means nothing to you, I think."

"Really? Try me."

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"Missing ninja from Konoha, A-ranked. Jinchuriki of the nine tailed fox."

"Actual ninja of Konoha, special jonin and leader of the Konoha military forces against Iwa. Jinchuriki of the nine tailed kitsune."

"An impressive resume for someone so young."

"It doesn't stop there. I have a kill count higher then ninety nine percent of the ninja populace of the five elemental countries. I am the future Sixth Hokage of Konoha. And I killed the Mizukage."

"A little ahead of ourselves, now aren't we."

"No."

One minute to go.

"You remind me of someone?"

"My father, most likely."

"Your father?"

"The Yondaime Hokage? The Yellow Flash?"

"Nope, not him. Bastard died before I met him."

Naruto frowned. The Mizukage pulled his mask down and removed his hat, showing his face. It wasn't anything special, but Naruto could feel chakra building.

"Ah, I remember! You remind me of this one child I killed. He told me that one day he would surpass me and become the next Mizukage. I then proceeded to torture the child in front of the entire city's populace. Good times."

"Teme…"

"Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu!" The man's hands were so fast it made Naruto reconsider whether or not he himself was kage material. A dragon of water filling the hall came roaring forward towards Naruto.

"Doton: Doryuuheki!" Naruto spat an enormous amount of mud from his mouth and onto the ground, creating a many foot thick barrier. He placed his hands against it and began reinforcing it with his chakra, but even though it was strong against water jutsu, the wall was being eaten away rather quickly.

_Hurry…_

Twenty seconds.

The wall broke through just as the water dragon ran out of power. The Mizukage was flying through the gap in the wall with a small katana ready to decapitate Naruto.

Which he did.

Fifteen seconds.

And then Naruto disappeared into a puff of smoke.

Instantly, the Mizukage ran into the room that had held his village's jinchuriki.

And he died.

Naruto had been right around the corner and, in his foolish rush, the Mizukage had slammed himself into an odama rasengan. He had just enough time to grasp his own stupidity before being impaled with ten kunai in various areas of his head and then being pushed into the wall by Naruto.

"GO!"

Five seconds.

He turned to the hole his clones had been working hard on for the last minutes, alternating doton jutsu and rasengans to dig out and away from the tower's center. The clone holding the four tail was already heading up as the last rasengan pierced into the middle of a street a block from the tower. Naruto pulled the small katana that the Mizukage had managed to stab into his side out. He grimaced at the pain of the blade that had probably pierced something important sliding out of his flesh.

Two seconds.

Naruto was heading up the tunnel.

One second.

Naruto was jumping out the exit and into the arms of Hinata Hyuga, who had seen the Naruto clone and had it come over to their hiding place where Kurenai was taking care of the man.

Zero.

* * *

Jiraiya stared as his special tags did more then he had expected. Four explosions blossomed around the village, clearing some of the mist, and instantly the power went out. The Mizukage's tower was collapsing faster then he had imagined it would. Every Kiri ninja was stunned.

Enough to turn the tide.

Jiraiya immediately smiled and bit his thumb, knowing that on the other side of the city another was doing the same.

* * *

Matsuri stood next to Gaara doing the hand signs for her favorite jutsu.

"Summoning: Three Toad Guardians Jutsu"

Her hand touched the ground and three seals formed on the ground, followed by three puffs of smoke. Out of the smoke stepped three house sized toads arrayed in samurai armor and prepared for war.

"Your orders, ma'am."

"Follow Gaara's orders."

"Follow the wave and attack only Kiri ninja."

"Alright."

* * *

"Summoning Jutsu: Toad Army!"

Jiraiya slammed both hands into the ground and was rewarded with the battle cries, croaks, of one hundred human sized toads in battle array.

"Kiri ninja, buds, and no letting them get away!"

"Hai!"

With the Mizukage out of the way, Jiraiya could use his chakra heavy war jutsus without worrying about having to fight a kage later.

A hundred toads hopped into the battle that was slowly becoming a route.

Jiraiya hopped down to give them all a hand.

* * *

"Ryusa Bakuryu!" Gaara's chakra suddenly exploded in power, causing his team to take a few steps back and his own hair to go crazy. In front of him he had created an incredibly larger amount of sand. And now the sand was rising up to create a massive wave of sand. It suddenly burst forward, covering and then passing over civilian structures, covering and destroying military structures. The wave reached the back part of the Kiri ninja's battle formation and began covering them and crushing them. It barely got a few before the energy died from covering over a few square kilometers of town.

As soon as it did, though, thirty Suna nin and three enormous toads came racing across the sand like it was solid ground. One of the frogs unleashed a water bullet that blew four Kiri ninja into a paste on the side of a building. Another swept his blade low over the ground, killing ten more ninja. The other just jumped into the air and crushed a few.

Seven ninja from Konoha came from the same direction to complete the surrounding of the last hundred Kiri ninja.

The fight was ending.

* * *

"Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho!" Hinata defended herself from a wave of kunai, it seemed that the Kiri ninja new that they were surrounded and the weakest part of the circle was through the small group of Konoha ninja. She sliced an arm off one person charging her and a leg off another, and then an leg off the first when he got back up. She hated killing like this.

But she knew… she knew that if she didn't kill then other's little sisters would die and others would feel the pain of loss like she did.

So she sliced and maimed, giving them a decent chance to survive if they knew first aid and stopped attacking.

She watched a green blur flashed by in front of her and a long metal thing sweep through six ninja.

Literally, _through_.

Naruto was on the roof behind her, just looking out at the battle. She had no idea what he was doing until he met her eyes. He mouthed two words.

_The scroll!_

Hinata took one arm from her ultimate defense and pulled it out. She looked at him and he was once again scanning the battle, probably communicating the same thing to everyone else who had one.

Suddenly he caught her eyes and mouthed another word.

_Ten-ten._

Suddenly Hinata saw the brown haired girl rising with two dragons to either side of her, each actually a scroll. Kunai went flying everywhere and Hinata saw other scrolls empty towards the enemy. She bit her own thumb and unleashed her own kunai. They flew towards the enemy and she heard a loud voice from above her yell something.

"GET DOWN!"

Within a second, Konoha and Suna ninja dropped. Summons vanished. The only people standing were Kiri ninja as kunai, none hitting a thing, flew through the air. Then they looked up and saw the blond haired shinobi jumping into the air.

Then, faster then their minds could comprehend, hundreds of flashes of light started going off faster then a strobe, making it look like three seconds of solid yellow light.

Then nothing.

The time was five twelve in the morning.

Kirigakure rose to find a river of blood running through their streets.

Kiri blood mixed with Konoha blood.

Water and Leaf.

But mostly water.

And one ninja stood in the middle of it all, struggling to stand after unleashing hundreds of hiraishins. He shook as he fell to his knees. A red suited man with white hair came up to him and congratulated him.

But he was already unconscious.

It was so much better then actually thinking about what he had just done.

* * *

AN: Hoped you liked the first battle scene. I focused more on the special mission, but next time Naruto will be in the thick of it.


	33. And Then There Was Two

AN: Glad most people enjoyed the last chapter. What happens next?

* * *

Chapter 32: And Then There Was Two…

* * *

"Naruto… will he be ok?"

Jiraiya stood in the remains of the Mizukage's tower, looking through it for any survivors, though the prospect was unlikely. Next to him stood the Hyuga heiress and her personal body guard, Hyuga Neji. Neji was helping him look through the rubble while Hinata was busy worrying about the young blond who had passed into unconsciousness soon after the battle's conclusion. He kicked over a rock before turning around and facing the beautiful woman.

"Hinata, what do you want me to say? That he'll be fine? I don't know, damn it! From what you all told me he single handedly went against the Mizukage. And came out fine. Then he finished off over a hundred Kiri ninja with a display that hasn't been seen since, well, since his father died. And then he just passes out, like some tired little kid." Jiraiya wasn't very happy, but it had nothing to do with Naruto's behavior. Hell, Naruto had saved dozens of ninja by ending the fight at that point in time.

But then the brat had scared the hell out of everyone and just passed out.

A week ago.

And hadn't woken up.

"I don't know anything about medical stuff, that was Tsunade's job… but… it is Naruto. I can't even find a reason for his unconscious state, he wasn't exhausted from chakra, though it was close. He should be fine." _My worry is what happens when he wakes up._

"Jiraiya-sama, can't you allow me to take a team back to Konoha with him?"

"Not yet, Hinata. We need every ninja here to secure this city."

"He is right, Hinata-sama. We can't leave until we have placed a new leader, not a ninja, in charge."

Hinata sighed and sat leaning against the wall of a nearby building, wishing that she was still with Naruto in the makeshift hospital. He seemed perfectly fine, just like he was sleeping, but he didn't wake up no matter what.

It seemed Hinata couldn't do much with her newly found eyes except cry, because that is what she chose to do as she watched Jiraiya and Neji sort through the rubble.

Jiraiya noticed and sighed as he kept working.

_Damn it, he didn't have to use that jutsu. Two hundred ninja, almost, were slaughtered in slow motion in his mind. My only reason for why he is asleep is because he doesn't want to wake up and face the reality of all those lives, just following orders like he was, are gone. And he watched them go._

_Slowly._

_For what probably seemed like hours he watched them fall to the ground, their necks and other major arteries spewing their life giving blood on the ground._

_Naruto has probably realized exactly what being the soul person with his strengths means, what being Hokage means, what war means._

_Sacrifice._

_Even if it was his own sanity and sleep that would be sacrificed._

"You know… Hinata. Minato… I mean the Fourth, he went through this as well. Though he only would go unconscious for a few minutes, it would take weeks for him to go back to normal after a major battle. Naruto… he probably never told you this. And don't tell him I told you. It isn't that he doesn't trust you, he just doesn't want anyone to worry. That technique, the Hiraishin, isn't a teleportation jutsu like everyone seems to think."

"What do you mean, Jiraiya-sama?"

"Hiraishin doesn't just take a person from their original point to the seal. It was a jutsu made for battle, for war. That is the reason it was made, otherwise it is so similar to common jonin shushin that it really has no purpose. Why else would he have added a blinding flash to the jutsu? Basically, Hinata, the jutsu increases the speed at which Naruto perceives his environment and it takes almost a second after the technique is done to go back to normal."

"I don't understand."

"Naruto, every time he uses that jutsu, is killing ninja with slashes to necks and other major arteries, sometimes with decapitation and other methods, but each time he does… it is like watching it in slow motion. When he came out of one flash already with his kunai slicing through the neck it probably seems like minutes before the cut is complete and he goes on to the next even though it is a fraction of a second. In that last battle Naruto probably spent days in his mind killing those ninja. And then, when he was done, and he stood there… he was watching the bodies fall to the ground. It probably took hours in his perception for them to hit the ground."

Hinata was staring at him in horror, trying to imagine what that would do to her.

"Now you understand. I think Naruto is suffering from serious emotional trauma and he won't wake up until he figures out exactly why he did what he did and if it was worth it."

"If what was worth what?" Neji had stopped looking through the rubble and looked just as pale as Hinata at the description of Naruto's personal problems.

"If his sanity is worth using that move. Minato came to the conclusion that it wasn't."

"But… the Fourth won the war…"

"Hai, he did. He found something else during that war that made it worth it."

"What?"

"He determined that sacrificing his sanity for that jutsu wasn't worth it… but sacrificing his sanity for the lives of his friends… well… he could do that. And in the end he didn't have to. He used the jutsu and had someone else guard his sanity."

"Who?"

"His wife, though she was only a friend at the time."

* * *

"**Brat, you need to wake up."**

"Why, Kyuubi? So they can send me out to do that again? I am sick of that move, damn it! I am sick of having this power!"

"**You don't get the choice brat!"**

Naruto Uzumaki sat in the water at the foot of the Kyuubi cage in his mind. He had sat there for untold how many days, though Naruto thought, with his altered perception, it could be anywhere from years to seconds.

"I never wanted this…"

"**Weakling…"**

"Kyuubi… I don't care what you think of me. You saw, you know what I go through every time I use that… that… I can't even bring myself to call it a jutsu! What did my father create? Why did he make this and how did he use it time and time again to win the war with Iwa? Was he just some heartless bastard?"

"**You know he wasn't."**

"Maybe he was just insane."

"**That… is very unlikely. Would he have had a wife and a child if he was a heartless insane killer? No. He probably went through the same things that you are going though now."**

"If he did then how the hell did he live long enough to have me? Kyuubi, every damn time I close my eyes it is like I reply the best of them. I remember the black haired one who sprayed blood all over his friend before I killed them both! It isn't even a nightmare! THESE ARE MY MEMORIES, DAMN IT! I can't even claim that this is my mind, or even you, who play these scenes of death in my head. I did them. They are mine. And every time… I just don't know how I can go on. How I can do it again…"

A massive red head came up to the bars, staring at him in a way that didn't seem either harsh or friendly, just a look like he was looking at him for something. The red eyes that had once been frightening had come to be slightly less so now that he had spent a great deal of time with them. Then, in an almost purr like voice, the demon spoke with a soothing voice.

"**Do you wish to die, kit?"**

"Wha… what?"

"**Do you wish to die? I am here to help you, but you could just die and set me free so I could kill all your friends and family. Destroy your city, pillage and burn as I did once long ago."**

"Why would I let you do that?"

"**To die. You want to close your eyes and forget everything you ever did, don't you? Then die, you won't ever see those faces again."**

"I… I… never."

"**And why not?"**

"You would kill my family and friends… Konoha… and Hinata."

"**Hai, I would."**

"Then I will not let you out."

"**Why? Why can't I kill them, Naruto-kun?"**

"Because… they're my friends…"

"**You said that, Naruto-kun. Why don't you just die and let them die as well?"**

"Because… because I love them! Because their lives mean more to me then my… own?"

Naruto had stood in fury at the Kyuubi until he realized exactly what had happened. The Kyuubi, a demanding prisoner, had always been slightly understanding of Naruto. He had never told him that he would kill his friends. It had been… a lesson?

"**Good. You understand." The Kyuubi lowered its head to his level. "You wouldn't set me free to save yourself from the images because you love your friends. You value them over your own sanity, don't you? THAT, my young tenant, is why your father had the strength to go on. He probably saw the faces of the dead every night until his death at my hands, but he sacrificed his own health for** **the lives of his village and friends. He made that jutsu that you know to save them."**

"I… I don't know if I can take it, though! What if I lose it? What if I just collapse from the pain in the middle of battle and we all die?"

"**Would you rather die in battle after ridding your friends of five hundred enemies or five? Somehow, Naruto, your father learned how to place his precious people over himself. You have claimed to yourself many times that you do the same, but now… when it comes down to sacrificing yourself in a way arguably worse then death… you refuse? What kind of person would do that? What kind of ninja? What kind of Hokage would that be?"**

Naruto sat down with a small splash in the water. Kyuubi as right. The kami-damned demon, the person who had killed his mother and father before he had a chance to know them… he was right again.

"Kami… you're right. I… I'm all talk, aren't I?"

"**No, kit, you're not. You just never quite understood what you were doing. You had no previous experience or knowledge about something like this, and just now I think you have come to the truth."**

"The truth… the truth is that I have a choice to make. Either I never use the jutsu again and cause my village to possibly lose this war, or I continue to use it for the love of my friends. If I choose to do so, though, I might never be the same."

"**You won't be the same either way, kit."**

"Once again, the fur ball corrects me." The Kyuubi showed teeth in a massive smile that looked more like he was preparing to eat Naruto.

"**Finally… it has been a long time since I heard your true voice, kit."**

"Well, baka-kitsune, I guess you know my decision. I choose to fight for Hinata and everyone in Konoha. I choose sleepless nights in exchange for their safety and lives. And I choose to place my friends over myself in everything, from here on out. Time I followed my own nindo, eh?"

"**Then wake up, baka-kit. And remember, just because you are haunted by the faces of the dead now, it doesn't mean it will be that way forever. I think you should look to pleasant company for peace."**

"Yeah, whatever, Kyuubi-teme. I'll talk later, now I need to see Hinata and Jiraiya."

"**That's what I said, damn it!"

* * *

**

"Jiraiya-sama!"

Jiraiya looked up from where he was talking with Hinata and Neji, Sakura was running towards him.

"Sakura, what is it?"

"Naruto… Naruto woke up…"

"And?" Suddenly Naruto was behind Sakura.

"Ha, like you thought I would stay in bed while you went and got them!" He jumped over Sakura and before Hinata had a chance to think she was swept up in his arms and spun around.

"Hinata, gomen if I worried you. I was just really tired from the fight." He gave her a smile she thought would have been a fake one, guarding the hurt he obviously felt but it turned out that the smile was completely true. She gave him a true smile in return. If he was able to be happy, then she could too. Even in the wake of her imouto's death… she could be happy with Naruto.

"You were out for a week, Naruto. How was I not going to be worried?"

"Oh… gomen."

"But you're back now… so I'm fine. Are you ok?" She looked at him with a face that meant she knew something wasn't ok with him, but if he wasn't willing to share she would wait. He saw this and smiled at her sadly. It said everything she needed to know. He wasn't ready to talk about it, but she would be the first to know.

"Arigato, but I am fine now. Jiraiya, clean up go well?"

"Yeah, everything went fine from then on. Gaara left with his group to return to Suna, apparently Iwa forces attacked on outlaying village in the country directly north of them and the Kazekage wanted Gaara back incase they broke through into Suna. We can't leave until the people elect a leader."

"Ah, yes. The Mizukage met an unfortunate fate."

"So he was killed by you, then."

"Naruto, you told us all that it was your mission to delay him, but Jiraiya-sama told us afterwards that it had been our entire team's job to kill him. Jiraiya-sama was never coming to help you, was he?" Neji frowned at Naruto. He was glad the blond was awake, but lying was not something people did to Neji if they wanted to be on his good side. He didn't like it.

"No, he wasn't coming. And, technically, as team leader I had the authority to either take all of you or none of you with me. We had three goals, destroy the generators, the Mizukage's Tower, and the Mizukage himself. I split the team to do that within the time limit, pretty strict if I do say so myself. The mission was a success. I didn't tell you because I thought some of you would insist on going with me or worrying to much." He poked Hinata in the ribs as he placed an arm over her shoulder. "Before now, do you think anyone would believe I could have taken out a kage that wasn't just sparing?"

"I… I must say you are right about that. So what did you do?"

"He was overconfident and shortsighted. I blocked on of his Suiton techniques with a Doton technique and then ran around a corner. He was in such a rush to get me he turned the corner into an odama rasengan. Then ten clones ruined his beautiful face with kunai. Speaking of which, how is the old man, Jiraiya?"

"Old and wounded, but he'll live."

"What was so special about this spy that we risked blowing Naruto up for him?"

"One, he is an old friend of mine, and two… he is a jinchuriki."

"A… jinchuriki?" Neji was confused, and luckily he was facing Jiraiya and not Naruto and Hinata, who traded an easily readable glance. "A human sacrifice… a demon container?"

"Hai. Our old friend is the container of the four tailed demon and was once a great ninja."

"But a demon?"

"No, he contains a demon, Neji. He isn't a demon. Besides, even if he actually was the four tailed demon, he is my friend and a damn good spy for Konoha. Look beyond the surface description, Neji. It isn't what a person is, it's what they do and why they do it that makes a person."

"Hmm…" Neji didn't look completely convinced, but he sure as hell wasn't going to run off and kill the four tailed jinchuriki anytime soon. "I will consider that. It was good to see you awake, Naruto." Neji headed back to the camp following Sakura who had left too early to hear the comment about the spy.

Jiraiya sighed before turning again to Naruto.

"So you beat a kage in combat? Nice work, again. But I wonder how fine you really are. Not many people sleep for six days in a row."

"I'm… better. Just had some things to sort out in my head."

"Naruto… I… If you ever need someone… I'll be here." Hinata smiled from under his arm, loving the way it felt around her shoulders. It felt like it was meant to be there, like it was a perfect fit on her shoulders. Naruto smiled down at her and slid his arm off of her and placed his hand into hers. She would be his tie to sanity. She would help him through the emotional pain. It was her duty, and her pleasure, to help Naruto in any way she could.

"I'll keep that in mind. Buy don't worry about me."

"I can't help it, though. I need to worry about you, because you never seem to worry about yourself." She gave him a joking smile, one she had never used before. Naruto gave her one right back before giving her a kiss right on her nose.

"Fine, but only because you look so cute when you worry." Jiraiya laughed as Hinata changed her face's color almost at will from her usual pale complexion to beet red. Then, instead of passing out, she jumped up and kissed Naruto on the nose.

"Well, you're cute when you… ano… are here with me."

"I guess I need to be here with you more often, then."

Naruto bent down to pick her up in his arms where she decided to cuddle herself into his chest.

"Hai, you should."

* * *

Baki, the Fifth Kazekage of Sunagakure, stood on the walls of his city, staring into the desert from the enormous steps guarding the only entrance to his village besides going over razor sharp rocks and slick interior walls.

Only three days ago he had sent word for Gaara and his team of ninja to return, sighting a recent loss of communications with Bird Country, just north of the Wind nation.

Three days ago he had not known the true problem.

He should have called for Konoha's entire army.

Iwa was coming to Suna, and they were not holding anything back.

He had received intelligence information from Tsunade over the years about bio experiments and weapons of war created from innocents. He had brushed them off as both impossible and illogical.

And yet here marched the results of his disbelief.

Something told him that Kaze no Yaiba wouldn't get him or Suna out of this.

Damn.

He never even wanted to be Kazekage, but he was the only eligible ninja in Suna for the job that was even willing to consider it.

And now he was about to let his village down.

In the distance he saw ranks and files of his enemies… hundreds of them… maybe thousands. His elite team of stealth experts had given him the information. At least one hundred Iwa ninja of chunin or jonin level, at least twenty Iwa ANBU level ninja, and at least five hundred of the monsters.

The monsters were arrayed like battalions in old military battles, with a larger commanding monster in the lead. Each of the leaders of a monster group was the same in appearance mostly. Gruesome wings resembling hands with claws and webbing between the fingers sprang from their backs. Hair hung wildly down between the wings, no colors besides black and white. Each had a cross over the bridge of their nose. And most importantly, each had the eyes that Tsunade had warned them about.

White, pupilless eyes.

All seeing eyes.

Luckily it was only the commanding monsters who had the wings or the eyes. Their followers were all different, but none less hideous, then the next. Claws, spikes, and various appendages sprang randomly from their bodies. It looked like an army of half formed sea creatures had crawled into the desert to kill him. Wicked looking to say the least, it looked like they would barely be able to move, let alone attack. But they could attack. A group of them had plowed through a team of scouts led by a jonin. Not one of the monsters had been killed. A jonin wasn't able to even hurt one.

And Gaara wasn't back yet.

Baki was slightly regretting even involving Gaara. Maybe it would have been better to have just left him there in Kiri so someone could have survived to rebuild later.

He watched as they all arranged themselves about a kilometer out in a fan around the only entrance to Suna.

So it was a siege.

Well, he could handle a siege.

Until they decided to attack.

* * *

"Are the weapons arranged to allow no path of escape?"

"Hai, commander!"

"Then we must wait. The controller is not here yet, and we can't make these beasts do anything but march and stop without him here."

"Hai, commander!"

"Take a team and gather water and food, we might be waiting a while."

"Hai, commander!"

"Now."

"A… alright."

"Commander, scouting party A has not reported in, shall I send another party out?"

"Hai."

* * *

Gaara no Sabaku was not an easy man to get along with in the least, and when you delay him from his goals you usually find yourself either dead or maimed. If it wasn't the Hokage in his way, then he would have already done that. He stood with his team behind him as the Hokage blocked the gate of Konoha, demanding that he wait for a moment.

Gaara hated waiting.

But never let it be said that Gaara was not a patient man.

He was, but he still hated it.

"Gaara, you barely gave me a report at all! Suna told us that you were coming back to reinforce them, but at least give me some information!"

"Fine."

"How did it go?"

"Thirty percent casualties on our side, one hundred percent on theirs. Almost half of our casualties were fatal, eighty percent of theirs were. The Mizukage fell to Naruto Uzumaki, who, at the time we left, was still unconscious from what many believe to be chakra exhaustion."

"That sounds like him. Tell me, do you have any idea why Suna recalled your team?"

"Contact was lost with the Bird Nation. We suspect Iwa invasion."

"Alright, so let me send some troops with you."

"If they are after Suna then yes, your troops will be needed. If this is a feint for Konoha, you need all the troops you have."

"Hai, you are right. Still, let me send a messenger with you incase you need back up."

"I don't think that is necessary."

"Why?"

"My brother and sister are nearly here."

"What?" Tsunade suddenly felt two chakra presences coming from the west. It was, indeed, Temari and Kankuro, but Gaara and Tsunade recognized at the same time that something was wrong.

Out of the tree, behind the Hokage, Temari fell to the ground trying to help a bleeding Kankuro towards the gate. When she saw the Hokage she almost threw her brother at her.

"Hokage-sama, he's wounded. Help him, please!"

"Fine, but how did this happen?" Gaara stepped forward and next to his sister and his brother who was clutching a pretty deep gash in his shoulder.

"Suna is under siege, Gaara. Are team was on patrol and when we returned we were already too late to enter. Suna's entrance is surrounded by roughly a thousand Iwa troops, over half of them being the ones you told us about… the monsters."

"Damn tough ninja, too." Kankuro grunted as Tsunade reset his shoulder. "We were found by a group of their ninja finding water and food, and out of the six of us only we two survived the fight. We left for Konoha immediately afterwards."

"Hai, we need ninja. Suna might be strong, but not even our ninja can stand against a thousand enemy ninja, half being… well… bio weapons."

"Alright, I agree. Konoha will send seventy of our own ninja making your group and even one hundred. But if they do not attack, then do not confront the army. Wait until I can send more, until the army in Kiri returns, then you can guarantee victory instead of just hoping."

"Fine, Hokage-sama." Gaara didn't want to argue and he wasn't exactly sure about his own abilities against monsters. If he could be sure that the first attack would crush them all, then he would have no trouble taking out the entire army as they stood on sand. But if the first attack didn't work and the creatures couldn't be crushed… he probably would have guaranteed his team's deaths.

And Matsuri was in his team, so there was no way he was going to let her die.

"Gaara, wait for two hours. I will have the ninja ready to go at that time." Tsunade stood up and had an ANBU take Kankuro to the hospital for a nurse to finish the treatment.

"Alright, but we leave in two hours."

"Fine."

Gaara turned and his team followed him to a training ground to wait.

It was difficult for a man like Gaara to wait.

Especially when his village might be being destroyed as he waited.

"Gaara-kun, don't worry. They'll hold them off until we get there, and besides, if we ran there without resting I wouldn't be able to use my summons. And you wouldn't be able to use your abilities as well as if we rested now."

"Hai… you are right."

"Of course I am right, when have I ever been wrong!"

"When you told me that bath house was a public one when it was women only. When you told me sushi was a type of candy. When you insisted the path we were on did not drop off a cliff. Shall I continue?"

"Hai, those were great memories."

"When you told Jiraiya that he looked handsome."

"That was a joke, not meant to be taken serious."

"We suffered from his bantering for days."

"But it was funny!"

"For you, who wasn't forced to here his endless comments about how we didn't know how to work with the ladies."

"That was the funny part!"

"How did I fall in love with you?"

"It must have been my good looks… or maybe my sparkling personality?"

"No, I think it was your clumsiness, thoughtlessness and the way you always get into trouble."

"Hmph!"

"I need someone around who keeps me on my toes."

"Figuratively, because you're actually taller then me."

"…" Gaara thought she deserved a kiss for that. He leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth and she returned it in kind. When they finally separated a few of his teams members were chuckling.

"Ah, now I remember."

"Me too." Matsuri decided to prove to her fiancé exactly why again, knocking him to the ground.

* * *

_Jiraiya,_

_We have problems at home. Suna is under siege by a thousand enemy forces including the first monsters to be used in the war. Currently they are not attacking, but we don't know how long we have to prepare. Gaara has a hundred allied forces on the outside of the siege while Suna has roughly seven hundred ninja on the inside of chunin or higher rank._

_We need your forces, specifically the higher level ninja. We need you, the jonin and Naruto specifically. We can't let our only ally fall so early in this war, and destroying the force would likely cripple Iwa. Please, come home and be prepared to head out again. All chunin ranked ninja will not be sent out again so soon, but jonin and higher must be prepared to leave immediately to defend Suna._

_  
Return with all haste._

_Tsunade_

Naruto and Jiraiya sat on top of the tallest building in Kiri, reading the note that had come with a hawk from Konoha. Below them Konoha ninja were cleaning up some of the rubble while avoiding the citizens all the while. Naruto and Jiraiya had been discussing everything that had gone on in the mission and how to improve, but were interrupted by the bird with the note. Now each of them had no idea what to say or do. Naruto summed it up pretty well, though.

"Shit."

"You said it, Naruto."

"What do we do?"

"Easy, we leave."

"But the nation hasn't stabilized yet!"

"We can't do anything for them right now except end the war quickly. We will send aid later, but Suna is of serious military value. Now that Kiri is down we only have Iwa and Kumo to deal with, but without Suna that makes it almost impossible."

"Fine, should I inform them all?"

"Hai, we pack up and leave on any ship we can find. Give one hour before we leave."

"Alright." Naruto was off.

Jiraiya frowned before writing a reply.

_Tsunade,_

_We'll be arriving in Konoha in about, oh, a day and a half. All jonin will be ready._

_Don't get in over your head until then._

_Jiraiya_

_

* * *

_

AN: Kinda short, but the next chapter will be good.


	34. Orochimaru

AN: Thanks to all the reviewers for the last chapter, I appreciate all input and comments. As to people informing me on corrections, well just wait a few weeks and I'll fix the whole story when it is done. Get it all out in one big fix from the top, which, when I reread it recently, has a lot of errors.

So hold your horses and enjoy my recent and mostly error free story.

Oh, and if you wanted to know I have Suna's gate facing west. And also, I am taking a translation of the ultimate rasengan from the first place I saw it, so if it isn't the exact name of the super rasengan Jiraiya used on Pain, tell me and I might fix it if I really feel like it. (Ps. I don't)

* * *

Chapter 33: Orochimaru

* * *

Baki, the Fifth Kazekage, looked out from his position in the gate of Suna out over the desert wastes that had protected Suna for years by their scorching hot sands and waterless miles. Not impassible for anyone who really wanted through, but most chose to avoid the sands of Wind Country and go around. The only real reason to pass through the Desert of Wind was to reach Suna.

And yet visitors had come.

In number.

He jumped to a higher vantage point on the top of the wall, looking not at the sand and the sun of his home, but the invaders of his sanctuary.

Stone and sand were similar in make up, but in reality were like water and oil.

Mixing them was not a smart thing to do.

And so the rocks stood at sand's front door, demanding entrance, demanding that the sand become rock or face destruction.

But stone didn't realize that sand can't become rock again.

Nor would it let itself be destroyed.

Sand would fight, wear down the stone until it vanished in the wind.

Or at least it would try.

He stood as the night winds began to blow and the sun began its final decent into the west. A small aged woman appeared next to him moments later, appearing as frail as someone could be, but obviously a capable ninja with her speed.

"Kazekage, you should not be out here."

"The sun is setting, Chiyo-basama. Two days have passed and no sign has come from Gaara or our foes."

"The first could mean many things, the second is only good."

"I wonder… why do they wait when they could take us now?"

"I do not pretend to understand the foe, but two reasons come to mind. A trap, and they need more forces here for it, or… they cannot attack yet because of orders or other reasons."

"I doubt the later, and if it is a trap Konoha has no way of knowing."

"Indeed, our hope lies outside of our hands, Kazekage."

"You will be ready to assist us, won't you basama?"

"Hai, I will. But against monsters as fearsome as those I see before us…"

"Suna requires more then what we have."

"More then what we can receive, as well."

"A miracle?"

"If you believe in the Kami, then yes. A miracle would be nice." The old woman looked out at the forces surrounding the only entrance to the city. Indeed, making only one entrance was both a military advantage and a disadvantage. They would be able to concentrate their forces at the twenty meter long choke point that they used as a gate, making the entrance incredibly fortified.

But that also allowed their enemies to only need to attack one point as well.

And they only needed to worry about one exit for possible escapees from the siege.

It was an unchangeable aspect of the upcoming battle.

Whether Suna held or fell would depend on the defenders of a twenty meter long cut in the hundred foot high walls.

They wouldn't hold for more then an hour, maybe not even thirty seconds.

"Chiyo-basama, will you stand with me at the gate and meet them when they come? Your skills would be highly useful against our foes."

"Hai, I will stand for the village, as is my duty."

"Good, because I think they will attack. Tonight."

"And what gives you that idea, Kazekage?"

"I see a small group in the distance coming closer."

"It might be nothing." The elder dearly hoped that it was nothing.

"No… the monsters… they are reacting as the group draws nearer. Like they were merely dazed until now and have become fully awake."

"Then maybe the first possibility is right, they waited for this group to begin the attack?"

"It seems likely… guard!" An ANBU appeared next to him instantly.

"Hai, Kazekage-sama."

"Have the city prepare for assault, all ninja report to predetermined stations and order civilians to shelters, immediately."

"Hai, Kazekage-sama." And he disappeared, leaving the two ninja on the walls alone. Baki glanced through the dieing light to barely see the forces.

They were no longer still.

They were forming around the new arrivals.

And the monster's roars could be heard from his place a kilometer away.

"Kazekage, we should retreat to the safety of the city."

"Hai, we shall." And then, first the woman then the man, they disappeared into the night as a cold desert wind began to blow.

The roars grew louder.

* * *

Sabaku no Gaara and a large group of one hundred shinobi lay hidden under the sand within sight of the enemy forces still a couple kilometers away. They hid under a thin layer of sand on the tip of a massive sand dune, overlooking the enemy like spies instead of the heavily armed and trained battle group that they were.

Gaara was in his element, literally. He was almost happy to feel the sand around his body, comforting in its protectiveness, as if he had returned home. In fact his home was still over two kilometers away, surrounded by the monsters he now observed in the light of the waning sun.

_Abominations of the human form. It sickens me to look at them. They were once innocents, but now are mindless creatures of war. _

The Hokage might be a vain old woman, but she was the best medical ninja in the known world. She had told him in no uncertain terms that these curse seals had been changed from the ones implanted into Orochimaru's original servants. Not only will they not be able to be removed, but they'll never return to their dormant form. This, she had determined, would mean that these beasts likely had a lifetime of fighting capabilities that was ten years at most.

_It is… sad that they must die for the sins of their creators, but I will not think upon it for I am sure that if they had minds left they would want to be stopped from what they are going to do._

And here came the creator, it seemed.

A small group of ninja had come from the north, causing the monsters to go into a frenzy, nearly breaking ranks as they roared in…

Excitement?

Joy?

No.

Most likely they roared in pain and anguish if they had any human feelings remaining.

_Orochimaru must be here, ready to lead his small demons into battle. I shall lead my own demon against them._

_And we shall see who wins._

"Gaara-sama! Message from Konoha." Gaara had felt the ninja run up behind him, the one who had been told to stay in the woods bordering the great desert to wait for the main Konoha force. He rose from the sand, startling the ninja.

"What is it?"

"I came to tell you that Konoha's forces are within sight behind us…" The ninja pointed to show Gaara a large amount of ninja dressed entirely in light tan clothes besides two. The leaders of the group wore red and black, one with long white hair and the other with spiky blond hair and a long flowing coat with flame decorating the edges. They were coming along the back of the dune, keeping the sand between them and the foe. It brought the total group to almost three hundred ninja.

"Good, bring me the leaders and then find cover."

"Hai, Gaara-sama." The ninja ran back down the hill and gathered the two Gaara knew better then his own siblings. He had spent months with his siblings as a sane person, and years with those two. They arrived at the crest of the dune, no longer afraid of being seen in the night.

"Gaara, how goes the siege?"

"Jiraiya-sama, welcome. It is going very well for both sides, it seems. Their inactivity until now I believe can be attributed to the lack of a leader for the monsters. But that is no longer true as you can now hear. I believe Orochimaru has arrived and is prepared to lead an immediate assault on Suna."

"He won't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because Suna will expect an attack with the commotion. He will wait until dawn to attack, when the Suna forces have been on duty all night without rest."

"That sounds like him."

"Naruto, if this is the case, can you do something?"

"Maybe, depends on what it is. Hinata got left behind, so I'm up for more dangerous stunts then usual, but nothing that might get back to her and cause her to die of hyperventilation, please."

"I think I know what Gaara has in mind, Naruto. You dressed appropriately for the mission."

"Hm? Oh, I understand. Give a show, eh?"

"Hai, at dawn, as the sun rises above the city gate."

"I will get in tonight and inform the Kazekage about the plan, as soon as they begin to converge on Suna you attack, correct?"

"Hai, we will."

"See you tomorrow, and Gaara?"

"Hai."

"Don't die of chakra exhaustion. You can't take out a whole army in one blow… at least not one as prepared as this for that eventuality. They likely have spread out electric jutsu masters to counter a lot of you attacks."

"Then I will keep them fighting my sand and not my people. And you need to consider your own words, Naruto."

Naruto smirked and shook Gaara's hand before vanishing into the night as if he wasn't wearing a white cloak or had bright yellow hair.

Gaara didn't even see him.

"He is an interesting ninja, Naruto."

"Hai, but I wouldn't trust anyone more."

"Hai."

* * *

Naruto arrived inside of the walls of Suna in a way only he possibly could, from the furthest point from Suna's gate and the enemy forces, Naruto used a series of hiraishin to go up and over the walls and then he removed his weights and ran to the gate. He almost ran into the Kazekage after avoiding the patrols.

"Commander Uzumaki Naruto, at your service Kazekage-sama."

"What the hell?" Instantly Naruto was surrounded by ANBU ready to kill him at a moments noticed. The Kazekage had nearly jumped out of his skin at the words that had come from the blond that hadn't been behind him moments ago. Naruto, on the other hand, merely shrugged off the ANBU around him and continued.

"I am here as the leader of Konoha's forces against Iwa, we have over two hundred of our forces prepared to ambush the enemy and with us is Gaara's team of thirty ninja."

"You… you are the one who defeated Gaara at the chunin exams three years ago…" Baki examined the young commander with a mixture of disbelief and wariness. "And so much like the Fourth…"

"That is the plan, actually. I am going to do a little stalling action when the enemy nears the gates tomorrow…"

"Tomorrow? Commander, do you hear those roars? They come now!"

"No, we believe they will arrive at dawn we your defenders are tired from being on alert all night. The roars are coming because the monster's master has arrived."

"Their master?"

"The one who made them, Orochimaru. But that is not the issue. We will be ready when they begin their charge and I will appear so as to stall them, then Gaara will attempt his sand jutsu and then we will not cover behind the gates, we will charge as the three hundred behind that tallest dune to the north east also charge, crushing our enemies between us starting from the eastern most position to the furthest west."

"I understand the plan."

"Order your men to rest for a few hours. We attack tomorrow. At dawn."

"Alright then, Commander Uzumaki. We will follow your plan."

* * *

The Iwa forces were getting a nights rest before the battle. They had been tending the monstrous weapons for days now and it was tiring work. One of them, the baka, had had his arm removed when he had tried to feed it. Only one person could feed them by hand, or get within feet of them without getting swiped at.

Orochimaru, the snake sannin.

He smiled out at the hordes of his creation with a wicked smile that could only be called unholy in the best of terms. He petted one on its head as he sat on its wide shoulders as if it was a chair. It didn't mind in the least.

He knew it wouldn't, he had made them that way.

If ever there was a more inhuman jutsu then the one he was the creator of he had yet to find it and test it out. The hebi was evil to his core and as he had one of his hundreds of warrior slaves get him something to eat he smirked at the moon.

If he wanted to he would rule that as well.

Eventually he would rule the entire five elemental nations and everything in between, so why not the moon? It was out of reach, but it was his anyway.

There wasn't anything on this pathetic excuse for a world that wasn't his.

He just had yet to reach out and take it.

* * *

The night passed by surprisingly quick for the defenders, the attackers, and the ambushers. Before anyone expected it the sky was becoming brighter and the sky behind Suna began to turn a pinkish shade from the sun now rising from the east.

From Konoha.

To the side of the ambushers.

Into the attackers eyes.

And right into the back of a certain blond haired ninja who stood in absolute seriousness at the gate of Suna.

It was time to show Iwa why they should never, ever, mess with Konoha or her allies.

Their might be shadows of the past standing in the way.

In fact, there always would be a Namikaze for Iwa to hate.

Naruto and Hinata would see to that.

Naruto smirked at the thought. He was ready to show Iwa exactly what he could do. The last Namikaze, the remainder of an ill fated clan known for nothing other then producing the greatest Hokage Konoha ever had, stood ready to accept his enemies with the blade and the fist.

* * *

"Orochimaru-dono, we have a problem."

"Hm? A problem? Why, when I said we attack in… twenty seconds?"

"There is a figure waiting at the gate of Suna… and no Iwa ninja is willing to go forward."

"What?" Orochimaru was about as furious as he could be. He jumped from his seat and threw one of the last remaining sound ninja out of his way to see the Iwa commander. When he reached him he saw the aged veteran shaking.

"May I ask, commander, exact why your men refuse to charge?" Orochimaru's voice was deadly quiet. The man didn't seem to catch that, though.

"Sir, the… the Yellow Flash is there!" He pointed to the gate, only a half kilometer away since they had been moving forward until the stop. Orochimaru saw with a flash of anger exactly what stood in his way and it took him only a second to realize who it was.

"That is not the Yellow Flash, you fool!" He spat his words at the commander. "That is a cheap look alike, an orphan boy by the name of Uzumaki Naruto. He only resembles the Fourth Hokage. Now charge, or forfeit your position to one with more courage!"

The man knew exactly what forfeiting his job meant, it meant death at Orochimaru's hands. So the man, with on last look at the gate, raised his arm to signal the charge with its drop.

Then Orochimaru saw something that disturbed him.

The brat was charging.

"Stay here, commander. It looks like they send a challenger. I must great him."

* * *

"What the hell is that damn idiot doing?" Jiraiya looked through his looking glass as his apprentice and pupil of three years charged an army of a thousand.

"Even if he had the kunai already prepared he would not be able to take out that many without tapping into at least… five or six tails…"

Gaara lay beside him, observing the blond ninja as well, preparing on Jiraiya's command to crush all that he could. But he was held back, he wouldn't be able to do it until Naruto was in the clear.

What was he doing?

Naruto Uzumaki smirked as he ran towards the army. He saw the way most of them shook in fear. Only the monsters and Orochimaru remained fearless.

And Naruto would change that.

Orochimaru was stepping out in front of his army.

Exactly as Naruto had hoped.

Naruto stopped barely fifty meters from the first rank of cursed soldiers, only twenty from Orochimaru.

"Hebi-teme, I am glad I finally get to fight you again!"

"The Uzumaki brat, eh? Come to brag about your destruction of my facility three years ago? You can see, obviously, that it was not the only one." Orochimaru smiled as Naruto frowned.

"Hai, I see. That is something I will fix as soon as I kill you in front of your men."

"Really? Even if you were the true son of the Fourth, which I no longer choose to believe to be true despite your techniques last time I saw you, you wouldn't have a chance against me. Years upon years of experience overshadow your brute strength and talent." His tongue snaked out of his mouth and licked his lips. "I finally get to repay you for the embarrassment you gave me all those years ago… in the forest and in that battle with Tsunade… now I will not hold back."

"Really? Good, because I wouldn't want to have to just outright kill you. I need some warm up before I destroy your army!" He said the last part loud enough to get most of the actual ninja to back up slightly. Orochimaru saw this and realized that if he had any chance to replace the lost moral of his troops it was to kill the ninja before him.

"Alright… then… DIE!" Orochimaru's neck shot out like a cannon, faster then even Naruto could run. Instead he elected for a few quick hand seals.

"Needle Jizou no Jutsu!" Naruto spun around and spun his expanding hair directly into the path of the head of Orochimaru. The neck dodged in a way that shouldn't have been possible before going back to Orochimaru's body.

"Learning from the hermit, I see."

"Better then learning from you, hebi!"

Naruto drew a kunai and charged Orochimaru, who drew his sword from his mouth before countering Naruto's basic slash easily and nearly disarming him. Naruto fought back, locking the blade in one of the many prongs coming off of his kunai. He drew a second kunai and pushed with both, fighting off the strength of the sannin that was at his own level.

Naruto blocked the next sweep with one kunai, diverting it below his jump as his slashed towards the snake's face. The teme smiled as he just moved his head back far enough to miss the kunai. Naruto stabbed with his now free blade, but he was thrown slightly off balance at the speed of his opponent' dodge.

It seemed they were matched in speed as well.

Naruto threw one of his kunai, but it was blocked by the katana before it came with in arms reach of Orochimaru.

"Ah, that move again? I won't be caught twice, brat."

"No?"

Naruto watched as Orochimaru charged over the dropped kunai and took a swipe at him.

But with a flash he was behind the snake and kicking him into the sand.

The hebi had almost turned in time to block him. Naruto was shocked that he had been able to even realize what was going on in the instant before he had been kicked.

Orochimaru rose and snakes shot from his sleeves, trying to bite and tangle Naruto up. Naruto cut the heads off of each in a display of speed that made even Orochimaru frown.

_The brat grew so strong in just three years? How did this happen?_

He shot another sleeve of snakes at the blond, only to have the elongated spiky hair once again block his attack, this time skewering his snakes before he turned completely around again.

Naruto released his jutsu as Orochimaru charged him, flashing more hand seals as he went. Naruto saw exactly what he was planning at the same time that he began his own jutsu and jumped back towards the gates.

"Summoning Jutsu: River of Snakes!"

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Orochimaru's hand hit the sand and instantly thousands of vipers appeared at his feet and swarming towards Naruto, who had multiplied himself by one hundred.

But ten clones stayed with the original while the rest went to hold off the snakes that came from everywhere. Orochimaru stood at the back of his large army of vipers, laughing as the snakes were killed one by one, but also as the clones vanished at an equal rate.

"Is that the best your clones can do? Are you really this weak, Naruto-kun? Even with the fox you can't beat me?"

"Watch your tongue, hebi!"

Orochimaru looked to the back of the clones and saw a wall of earth in his way. The original must have been behind it. He climbed on the heads of a few of his snakes before ordering them to take him to the barrier.

"Hey, Teme? Do you know what made my father so great? He made some sweet jutsu that even you can't learn, and left room for their improvement." The wall began to crumble as it was released. Orochimaru was ten meters away.

And he immediately jumped backwards as far as he could.

Eight Narutos surrounded a simply massive ball of pure energy.

Far greater then anything Orochimaru had ever seen or produced.

Even his monsters shrunk away from the obvious display of power.

The sane ninja there would have already run in fear except for the sand didn't seem to want to let them go.

The eight Narutos spun their arms around it at speeds that made their arms blur. The enormous ball had begun at a color of red, purple, and blue, but now the blue was beginning to become greenish as blades began to spin throughout it. Then it seemed to solidify and become whole.

Orochimaru was frightened. For the first time in his life he saw death.

"Hebi-teme! I guess it is time I ended you. Fuuton: Ultimate Rasengan!"

Then the Naruto holding his arm out simply… let go.

And vanished.

Orochimaru watched the orb fall towards the sand, only centimeters away.

And he decided a retreat was in order.

He was a half second from being too late.

* * *

Jiraiya only had to say four words to his team the instant he recognized what was going on.

"Oh shit… GET DOWN!"

Gaara and the entire team of three hundred decided to do just that. Gaara thought to put up a sand wall just in case the dune didn't hold. He let loose his grip on the army's legs in order to put all his chakra into the wall.

He was right to be careful.

And just in time.

* * *

Earlier that morning the Kazekage had created a barrier of earth that completely filled the entrance into Suna over up to ten meters high, though it would easily be climbed over being as the entire path was a hundred feet high. The commander of Konoha's forces had requested it for their safety.

The Kazekage had no idea what he had meant until the same moment that an ANBU jumped down from look out on the barricade and shouted for everyone to duck.

The Kazekage did just that.

As did Chiyo-basama.

They felt something powerful out there.

Then it happened.

"Fuuton: Ultimate Rasengan!"

"What the hell is a…"

* * *

Naruto had run like hell before tossing a kunai into the air above Suna and using Hiraishin. He most certainly did not want a repeat of last time. Hell, last time he had gotten it up to this size he had nearly died from the kickback. And it hadn't been complete then, either. And now he added an element to it as well.

This would be something he had never seen, and wanted to see.

He arrived almost instantly on the wall of Suna just as his enormous orb was about to hit the earth.

And then it hit.

Naruto was still looking at it in the slow motion that came from his hiraishin jump to the top most wall area of Suna. So he was able to see the orb touch the sand.

Then it began to destabilize, like all rasengan should when released.

Then it began to expand, much like a wind rasengan would before erupting.

Then, instantly to everyone but Naruto, the ball expanded to an orb with a radius of one hundred meters.

And then it collapsed to one with a radius of one meter.

Naruto hadn't thought that there was a limit to how strong a rasengan could go before it hit some sort of critical level.

No one had. It wasn't perceivable, as no one had had the chakra to test it.

The ball of pure white light flashed and a shockwave came out that erupted through the Iwa and cursed ninja ranks.

Then, faster then even Naruto could see, they were gone.

Just gone.

Along with everything within a radius of half a kilometer, including the front of Suna's gate and down into the ground.

Then they all felt the shock wave.

It as enough to send Naruto into the wall of rock at his back with enough force to crack it. Crack meters thick, chakra infused solid rock.

It was enough to cause Gaara to sweat as he held his sand wall together, a simple task normally. Now he put as much chakra as he could into it.

It was enough to cause every person in Suna to fall to the ground as the earth quaked.

Then the heat came.

Naruto briefly thought that the heat would have come before the shockwaves, but no, it came after. No one else would have noticed, but Naruto noticed as he felt his skin burn and as he watched the sand around the area turn to glass.

Gaara also noticed this as his sand wall that he had been holding against the shockwave became glass and blocked most of the heat from getting through. If he hadn't, most of his team would have been seriously burned.

Then the wind came, tearing and slicing through the only remaining forces of Iwa on the very edge of the crater that had begun to incinerate and were now blown as ash to the wind. The wind came slicing over the walls of Suna, missing Naruto in his crevice that his body had created, and going over the city like a hurricane.

Then it was over.

All within two seconds.

The siege of Suna was over.

* * *

Naruto just lay on his back, not knowing what happened. He had done what he had to in order to save the most lives. He had decided to face the leader one on one, and had almost won. He had felt the teme's chakra vanish from the area just as his jutsu had been released. In a way, he had still succeeded. The forces were defeated…

Gone, really. Not defeated. Just… gone.

But he had let the teme go free because he lost his temper and time. If he had had only a few more minutes of time before he knew Gaara and Jiraiya would intervene… he could have won without that attack. Instead he had to try something that was pretty much the most powerful thing he had ever held in his hands.

If it had hit human flesh it would have been redundant hundreds of times over.

Vaporization, over-pressurizing, under-pressurizing, incineration, ripping to pieces, and direct contact.

Definitely too powerful, though.

Suddenly he felt someone at his side. He couldn't turn his head to see.

"Shit… kid, you ok?"

"Be… ok…" Naruto frowned at his own voice, betraying him like that. He knew he had already healed all his bones and his skin was coming along nicely. In a day he would be on his feet from the chakra exhaustion.

"Good, cause if you weren't alive I would need to find someone else to kill. Why the hell did you do that?"

"Least… deaths… kill… hebi…"

"No, I understand that. Why did you use an experimental jutsu in battle? What have I told you about doing that?"

"Did it… first time… fought…"

"Doesn't count, no one has ever done a wind style ultimate rasengan, Naruto. And I had done rasengan tons of times. That technique could have killed you, it almost did by the look of it."

"Hai, but it… it… worked. Hebi… escaped… though."

"Yeah, I saw him slither away. But that jutsu… damn… did you see it?"

"No… just… ended up… in a wall… cause I like it."

"Heh, stupid question. How about, have you seen what you did to the area now? You've been up here for over an hour before I found you. Gaara and the Kazekage, though happy the siege is ended, want to talk to you about destroying public property. Apparently part of the wall was vaporized and a lot was temporarily molten. Messed up the front door pretty bad. Gaara's pissed that he didn't get to do anything but stop runners."

"Don't… tell… Hinata…"

"Naruto, I won't have to. This is going down in history books. That jutsu… damn…" Jiraiya sat down against the wall next to the imprint of Naruto and laughed. "I never thought it could be done. I never thought it could do that. That last wall to break, the size higher I felt could be broken… it would have blown the user apart. I'm kinda glad you did that first. I don't know if I would have had the sense to get over a half kilometer away."

"Anyone… else… hurt?"

"A few chunin had been too far to the edges of Gaara's shield of sand he put up, it save all our lives. They will have some bad burns from the heat but other then that they'll be ok. You should see it. From here it looks like they should change the name of the place from Sand to Glass. It is the most beautiful thing I ever saw, and yet so horrible at the same time. That massive hole in the ground… damn…"

"I'll look… later…"

"Yeah, later. I'll stay here till you wake."

"Didn't… need the… hiraishin… this time…"

Jiraiya frowned for a moment, though Naruto couldn't see it.

"No… no, you didn't."

Naruto slept, no new faces to haunt his dreams. Just the old ones. Jiraiya sat and watched the boy sleep as he sat looking out at the glassed over landscape shining in the sun like some surrealist painting.

"Kami… who would have though… that someone would come around able to do that… not since the bijuu roamed the earth freely was anything like this seen."

He looked down at the boy.

"How was that even possible?"

* * *

"How was that even possible?"

"Orochimaru-sama, the brat was obviously using the foxes chakra..."

"SILENCE, FOOL!"

Orochimaru sat in near complete darkness, contemplating what had happened.

"That move... that power..."

"He is interesting..."

"No... more then that... I want him..."

"What? Orochimaru? What do you mean? We have a perfect heaven's seal byakugan equiped body for you!"

"I know, I made it... simpleton." The scientist that had helped Orochimaru for years suddenly found his neck broken and his body on the floor.

Orochimaru flexed his muscles, knowing that he had no reason to change bodies yet. After all... his most recent body was working just fine...

For old times sake he put on the face of his body's original owner. Then he took a pair of glasses out of his pocket and pushed them up on his nose. Orochimaru had to laugh at that. So he did. A long maniacle laugh that no one heard.

_Oh, Kabuto, you brought so much in live and now you serve me in death. A more worthy body I have not had._

Orochimaru smirked in a mirror before taking the glasses off and crushing them. He then reverted his body to his own shape.

"I will have that body as my next one... but first, to seal him."

* * *

AN: Not much action overall in this chapter, not really a war part. I know I was building up to it and everything, but this is how I played it out. Don't worry, I will have at least three major battles before the end. And two one-on-one fights, or close to it.


	35. Beast Byakugan

AN: I know, long time no write. But stuff likes to happen to me, so I really had no choice. Glad to be back with you all, and I plan to keep writing, maybe not as regular but still weekly.

I really love how we all surpassed 1000 reviews while I was away. Amazing, really. My first story got, what? 60 some? The next got 70 some? Then another got… 2. And it was over 20K words! But it was star wars, so smaller fan base then Naruto. I really appreciate it all. Thank you to everyone, new reviewers, anon writers, and those who were with me from the beginning. I would list you all, but I don't feel like it.

Ha.

So… after that last chapter I needed to get some action for Hinata as well as some morality for Naruto. Here is goes. After a month long break, Blind by Tazaki4 continues!

* * *

Chapter 34: Beast Byakugan

* * *

"Doctor?"

"He'll be fine. Just minor burns as far as we can tell."

"Then can you explain his unconscious state? He did the same thing only a short time ago."

"As far as I can tell, the boy is perfectly healthy. Almost inhumanly fine in his immune system, I'd say. Without dealing with the brain, I can't be absolutely sure this is anything more then just exhaustion. But when you work with the brain you really need to have a goal and already know the problem. Just poking around in there is dangerous and he would likely only be damaged more."

"He probably is just trying to deal with the energy drain he put on himself and… you know."

"That is a possibility, Hiashi, to be sure. But… as his sensei and his father's sensei, I think he is suffering from more then that. A few days ago Naruto decided it was worth anything to save his friends. But his actions in the siege of Suna show that he doesn't understand exactly what that means."

"What do you mean by that? He nearly died defeating the enemy!"

"Hai, but it was the way he did it that was wrong. He could have expended that energy eliminating most of that army one by one with Hiraishin, but he thinks of it as a last resort because of the hurt it causes him."

"Isn't it? A last resort, I mean."

"… Hai, but that move he used… that reaction was something Minato wrote about. It was just theory, mind you, but he said that there was a maximum amount of chakra you could spin at the rasengan's rate. After passing that maximum, it would collapse in a powerful way, likely destroying the user. Naruto didn't know that, but he didn't have any idea what that move could do anyway. His use of it was irresponsible and caused the injury of himself and three other ninja. If Gaara had not been with us at the time over three hundred allied ninja would be dead. Myself included. The Hiraishin is a known entity and doesn't drain him to that point. The problem is that, despite what he might think, he is still running."

"What do you mean?"

"He _knew_ that he shouldn't use that move. He _knew_ it was irresponsible and dangerous to everyone. Hell, even an ultimate rasengan without wind chakra could have injured most of our group with just the wind and air decompression, but he added wind chakra without thinking. He knew Hiraishin would have been just as effective. Orochimaru would have run at the first sign of a large quantity of kunai and we wouldn't have had a chance to get him, but it would have worked the same. He still hasn't learned the true nature of the Hiraishin. Why it was called the 'flying thunder god technique'."

"Why was it?"

"I can't say. It is only something he should know and tell to only those he absolutely trusts. Only when he comes to terms with his power can he come to terms with the responsibility required of him."

* * *

On the border of Lightning Country a small band of ninja wearing Konoha headbands sprinted through the forests towards the hidden village of the leaves. One by one they were being picked off. One by one they were being caught and killed.

Iruka Umino carried his fiancé on his back after she had been caught in an explosive fire jutsu. The only other ninja alive from their original group were ANBU and slowing from wounds. Only minutes before the entire group had been whole and healthy. Now his wife-to-be was on his back with shrapnel wounds from a tree that had exploded.

"Umino, go to Konoha. Warn them!" One of the ANBU turned to face the direction they had just come from. The other stopped and prepared to back him up. Iruka only nodded and continued. They were both good ninja and friends, but stopping and begging them to come would have only killed them all.

Maybe they could stall them.

Not ninja.

The monsters.

The white eyed monsters with wings that traveled at near impossible speeds. The ones that could see in all directions and through all genjutsu. The ones who had slaughtered ten of the top jonin of Konoha in instants.

With earth and lightning jutsu.

Signs of Kumo and Iwa.

"Iru…ka?"

"Shh…" Iruka had hoped she would have stayed unconscious for the entire trip. Now she would be in pain.

"Team…"

"Don't worry, Anko. We're heading towards Konoha, just stay with me, ok?" Mentioning the team's fate would only depress her and she needed all of her energy. Iruka could feel her blood soaking through to his back. She wasn't mortally wounded, but if he didn't hurry she would bleed out even after using the blood replenishing pill he had forced down her throat.

"I… failed…"

"No, Anko, they just took us by surprise. Everyone, not just you. We need to warn the city, please talk with me."

"Love… you…"

"I love you too, Anko. Please… please just don't fall asleep."

"Try…"

* * *

Hinata sat alone.

The Hyuga princess sat out on the top of the western wall of Konoha, her legs hanging over the edge and swinging to her own interior tempo. Her eyes looking into the distance, seeing nothing.

Nothing of importance.

Oh, she could see. She could see better then anyone she knew that didn't have a doujutsu. Only Sasuke Uchiha or a Hyuga with their blood limit active would have better sight than her.

Thanks to Naruto and his strange jutsu.

True, she couldn't activate her own eye's ability yet. But that was coming along. She knew the hand signs by heart and all that she required now was practice. After all, twelve years without eyes takes some time to overcome. Blinking was a habit she didn't have, and was only getting used to as time went by, so why should she expect to be able to use a highly advanced jutsu with her eyes yet? It was all so new.

Tears were also new.

Still nothing in the distance.

Her long hair, near waist length now, flowed freely in the wind coming over the tree tops from the Country of Wind. Her heart was calmed in the cooling breeze, her tired eyes closed and she gave a small smile as the wind wrapped her in its embrace.

"Naruto… get well…"

Hinata knew what it meant when Hiashi had been called to Suna and she had not. She had heard the message herself. Naruto had once again fallen into unconsciousness. Without using Hiraishin.

And she had been kept from going to him.

Meaning that something besides that was also wrong.

But Hinata had decided to not worry about it.

She sat on the wall, smiling into the distance and willing her love to travel across the distance and reach the one for who it was intended.

Naruto would pull through. He always did. And when he came back…

_When Naruto comes back I am going to make sure he knows that I will never let him fall. I'll catch him just like he would catch me._

Hinata sighed and ran through a short series of hand signs.

"Byakugan!"

Nothing.

Not even a slight raise in the veins around her eyes.

She sighed again, but not in defeat.

"Naruto, come back soon. You're my strength…"

"Hinata?"

Hinata turned to see an ANBU operative standing at attention. This brought her out of her peaceful mind and back to the reality.

"Hokage-sama has called for you. You have a mission assignment."

Hinata's confused look changed to one of worry. She was totally capable of taking care of herself, but…

No, Naruto would be strong enough to wait for her. When he wakes up, she would be there.

Hinata's look changed to one of complete seriousness. It was time for business.

"Alright, I will be there momentarily."

Hinata took one last look towards the west and Suna before blowing a kiss towards the desert, blushing, and then jumping towards the Hokage Tower.

* * *

The Hokage sat at her desk about ready to smash it in half. True, she wasn't doing paper work. In times of war _that_ specific duty was regulated to secretaries. It was the fact that two of her scouting parties on the Kumo border hadn't reported back in the required time. That, and the fact that Shizune had hidden all her sake and she was too busy to go out and buy any more. For days now, ever sense the end of the siege of Suna, she had been like this.

Jiraiya had given her the report on Naruto's condition and his actions in the battle, and she had nearly gone to Suna to kill him herself.

Or give him a medal or something.

She wasn't sure, and wasn't in the mood to think it through. The war took up most of her thinking time already and adding worry about Naruto was only making her hate the job more.

There were many things she hated about the job. And sending teams out on missions in wartime was just one more of them.

"Tsunade-sama, Hyuga Hinata is here to see you."

Tsunade did not reply immediately. Instead she visibly calmed herself and took a sip of some tea that Shizune would supply in quantitee. She then poured a second cup full of tea and set it in front of the place Hinata would take.

Ready to break the news.

"Let her in."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama."

The head of the still young woman disappeared out the door and only seconds later it was replaced by the head of one Hinata Hyuga. Tsunade gave her as true of smile as was possible for her to give and motioned to the seat.

"Tea?"

"Arigato." Hinata picked up her cup and took a sip, setting it down immediately afterwards.

"Tsunade… any news about…"

"Nothing new."

"Will you tell me what happened yet? The ninja who returned yesterday wouldn't mention anything except that they were sworn to secrecy. It must have been something huge to not even let any rumors get out. All anyone knows is that Naruto is still in Suna. Please… why is Naruto still in Suna?" Hinata knew that it would not have looked well if she knew that Naruto was unconscious when it was technically still a secret.

Tsunade sighed and spun her chair to face the windows behind her desk. She looked out over the city she had sworn to protect… and frowned. Not at the city, not at its people…

"Hinata, you are one of our top chunin. I called you here to give you a mission, not to discuss Naruto's condition."

"Demo…"

"Hinata. I can't say why. I really can't. There is no choice in the matter. All I can tell you is that Naruto is alive, or was from my latest report from Jiraiya. I really wish I could tell you… but the village counsel doesn't want anyone to know and neither does Jiraiya."

Hinata looked up from her tea with shock. Why would Naruto's sensei not want the city to know something about Naruto? Did it involve… the Kyuubi? Before she could ask this, though, Tsunade just waved her hand over her shoulder, still with her back to Hinata.

"No, I can't tell you why Jiraiya is calling for the black out on the information. He just… is. Now, about your own mission." Tsunade spun her chair one more time to face Hinata. After placing her elbows on her desk she stared into Hinata's eyes.

"Your mission, Hinata, is to scout a certain section of northern Fire Country. This section is heavily forested, but that is not the reason I chose this area specifically. It is the same area I lost contact with two previous scouting parties."

"Anko-san's party…"

"Their report is six hours late."

"The other?"

"Two days late, the reason I altered Anko's team's path. But Anko's team should have still been south of the other team's last position."

"You think we are being invaded silently."

"Hai. And I want you to find out what is doing this and, if you can, find the remnants of the scouting parties and escort them to Konoha. You will be going with Aburame Shino, Hyuga Neji, and Inuzuka Kiba. I am putting you in an interesting position. You will not be leading, obviously, this team of jonin, but you will be their observer."

"Pardon?"

"The team I gave you is leaving this afternoon, and you are leaving only a few minutes after them. They are not going to know you are there if you do this correctly. Your job is to be backup for them."

"Tsunade, I do not have the Byakugan…"

"I know."

"How will I stay out of the sight of Neji, or Shino, or even Kiba?"

"That, Hinata, is up to you to figure out."

Hinata stared at the Hokage, waiting for the woman to break her serious face and laugh and tell her it was all a joke. The mission parameters were impossible!

One minute of waiting with nothing prompted a question.

"Tsunade, I don't think that this is a possible mission for me at this time. I humbly request to not be included in this mission."

"Reason?"

"I would need to stay both down wind, over a mile away, and constantly using Aburame bug repellent just to not be seen by my own team. I would lose them before we went five miles. The mission is impossible for me to accomplish."

Tsunade just stared at Hinata. It was over two minutes later when she spoke again.

"You are right."

"Gomen… nani?" Hinata looked in shock, expecting to be chastised and receiving acknowledgement was not common.

"I said you are right, the mission is impossible. That is why I am not giving it to you."

Hinata just stared in confusion at the Hokage that hadn't moved from her position.

"What do you mean?"

"Hinata, there is no mission. There never was a mission, except the one by Neji, Shino, and Kiba. If you had accepted the mission, I would have been forced to recall it and reprimand you. But you refused it. Good."

"I… I still don't understand. It was a test?"

"Hai."

"Why?"

"Because…" Tsunade was cut off as the door slammed open and Shizune rushed in.

"Hokage-sama! Mitarashi Anko's team has returned. They are all at the hospital in serious condition!"

The Hokage stood up suddenly. Putting enough pressure into her grip on her desk to cause it to splinter under her hands.

"How many returned?"

"Two. Iruka suffering from severe chakra exhaustion and needed to be sedated to keep him away from Mitarashi-san, who has multiple lacerations all over her upper body. Apparently he carried her back to Konoha…"

"Shit. Hinata, I want you to…" Before she could finish a man ran in out of breath with a shoulder wound.

"Ho…Hokage-sama! There are attackers at our gates!"

"NANI?"

"Hai, two dozen… _things_ are attacking the villagers recklessly!"

"Guards!"

Tsunade was instantly surrounded by six ANBU. Hinata joined them.

"Search and destroy, find these bastards and eliminate them in the quickest and most painful way possi…" Once again, the Hokage was interrupted. This time, though, it was by a massive beast with wings and white eyes jumping through the window behind her. Before it landed, though, Hinata had hit its heart twice, brain once, and both lungs several times. It hadn't even fallen to the ground when the Hokage punched its body hard enough to blow its spine out of its back.

"Shit! Go, now!" Instantly the ANBU and Hinata were gone, leaving the Hokage with the lifeless body of the cursed.

_Now, let's see just what makes you tick…

* * *

_

Hinata ran towards what seemed to be an abnormal chakra signature. Her eyes were still able to barely perceive the chakra aura of ninja and the five she was following were an evil black and purple. In their wake they left half dead villagers, some dieing, some still had a chance to survive. But Hinata didn't stop. She couldn't. The medics, the ones she had once strived to be, would be there momentarily. Her job was to stop any more people from being injured.

Which was going to be difficult, seeing as the monsters had Byakugan and were heading for the largest concentration of chakra signatures in the village.

The academy.

Hinata sped up. The one ANBU operative that had joined her was following, just as ready to end the threat as she was.

The cursed were almost at the academy gates when Hinata caught up with them. The children, ninja-in-training, were eating lunch in the courtyard and had a perfect view of the oncoming monsters, but were too shocked to run. Hinata saw the fear in their eyes as she jumped over the closely formed cursed to land in front of the five. They stopped for a moment, sizing up the situation, before roaring at her.

"Hyuga-san, let me handle this." The ANBU had arrived and was stepping in front of her. As he moved he started doing hand signs.

But the beasts weren't about to play by the rules.

"Suiton…" His attack ended with a fist protruding out the back of his body and his neck bitten through by enormous teeth. The body dropped to the ground, the only sound being the sound of the body slumping to the ground. The pre-genin behind her looked as if they had just witnessed the impossible.

The ANBU were supposed to be the best, right?

Right?

"Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho!" Hinata was barely in time to active her attack as one of the cursed monsters had charged her and had almost reached her.

But then it was on the ground, in pieces.

Two more of the monsters were killed with pinpoint strikes from highly focused chakra to their heads before the remaining two backed out of her range.

And then she took a step forward.

And another.

A moving Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho. It only allowed for her to project her attack in the front two hundred degrees of herself instead of three hundred and sixty, but movement was something that was imperative to her fighting style.

Another went down, leaving only the one whose fist was still covered in the blood of the fallen ANBU. It growled at her before doing awkward looking hand signs, ending on tora. It just roared before a stream of flame came from its mouth, surrounding her in her bubble of protection. The monster growled in frustration when his flames died down to show an unburned, though slightly singed, Hinata. In the middle of his roar, though, it learned in a very deadly way exactly how fast a Hyuga, a master of chakra manipulation, can be with chakra flowing precisely through the legs.

It's roar died in its throat as blood came out instead in a low gurgle, the inside of his upper chest turned to liquid by a juken strike. Hinata withdrew her hand from its place on the beast's chest as the body collapsed forward, and took a slow breath to calm herself.

The stories were true. The monsters were real. She had heard them described and heard Naruto talk about the inhumanity of their creation, but never before had she seen one.

They were essentially her twins.

They held her eyes, her blood, and all that separated them from her was birth and a curse.

"Wow… she beat them all!"

"Hai, that was amazing. Even the ANBU was defeated, and she took out five without any trouble!"

"Amazing…"

Hinata spun to see the entire academy staring at her. One of the teachers smiled at her in thanks, while the rest started ushering the children into safer places.

That was before she was suddenly thrown through the air by a massive impact into her back, and into a nearby wall, collapsing it.

* * *

"_Hinata?"_

"_**So, awake again I see. Ready to learn your lesson, kit?"**_

"_Damn it, Kyuubi! Let me out! Hinata…"_

"_**She's in trouble, I know. I have more instinct then you do, even now."**_

"_Then let me go to her, damn it!"_

Naruto Uzumaki stood in the knee deep water that filled his mind, yelling at an enormous cage with only a small seal keeping it closed. He had been there for days, bantering back and forth with his tenant, trying to free himself from his mind and get back to reality.

So far, he had failed.

"_**No, you must first understand why I keep you here."**_

"_And how, if I may ask, am I supposed to know if you won't tell me?"_

"_**Kit, you must come to the conclusion yourself if you are to fully accept it. I could tell you, but unless you believe me it would mean nothing."**_

"_So I need to learn a lesson that no one will teach me?"_

"_**BAKA! You have been taught it from your birth. You preach it to others as your way of life. Your vixen sees it as one of your redeeming features."**_

"_WHAT IS IT THEN?"_

"_**Jinchuriki."**_

"_Wha… what?"_

"_**Human sacrifice, Naruto. You say you would give your life for your precious people, correct?"**_

"_Hai."_

"_**Then why did you do that attack?"**_

"_To kill Orochima…"_

"_**DAMN IT, don't lie to me, kit. I AM IN YOUR THOUGHTS! I know why you used that attack. Tell me."**_

Naruto closed his eyes and closed his fists tightly.

"_To end the battle… without using Hiraishin."_

"_**Hai, that is the thought you had. That was the single most prevalent thought you had in that battle. 'Get through without using a mass Hiraishin'."**_

"_Is that so ba…"_

"_**Hai. That 'battle' was a perfect example of you, sacrificing your friends for your own safety."**_

"_Demo…"_

"_**No, Naruto. You did not know that would happen. You did not know anything about that technique. And using it in any other situation would have eliminated the couple hundred ninja behind that dune. Shino, Gaara, Jiraiya, Sasuke, Ten-ten, Neji, Temari, Shikamaru, Matsuri, Kankuro… though I wouldn't have cared much about him…"**_

"_I… demo…"_

"_**Naruto, do you know what your father was thinking when he named the Hiraishin? Why it was called the 'flying thunder god' jutsu?"**_

"_I… no, I don't."_

"_**There is an ancient legend, I don't even know how he knew of it, that goes back to the creation of the five elemental countries. It is merely a legend, but it holds the keys to the name of the technique. The five great nations were named after the five elemental gods. Fire, Wind, Rock, Lightning, and Water. The five basic elements of jutsu."**_

"_Hai."_

"_**Each god blessed the elemental country named after it with a gift. This is where that old man, Sarutobi, came up with the will of fire. Bravery was given to the Fire Nation. Resilience, to Wind. Calm, to Water. Fertility, to Rock…"**_

"_Heh…"_

"_**Do not laugh, consider how Rock was able to repopulate after each war. To Lightning, power. Then each god but one left, only wanting the best for the world."**_

"_A happy ending, but I don't understand."_

"_**The god that didn't leave was the lightning one. It would have been better if he had left, because he watched the nations descend into war and hatred. Lightning, being given raw power as their gift, was the instigator of these wars and usually the victor. In time, the god of thunder regretted giving his gift. So he took it back."**_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_**He took his gift back, the power he gave to Lightning Country was reabsorbed into himself. It destroyed him."**_

"_Demo… a god destroyed…"_

"_**I am a higher demon, and here I am in the last few years of my life."**_

"_True…"_

"_**The god, for the peace of the world, sacrificed himself. That, Naruto, is why this is called the flying thunder god technique. It is a jutsu created for the specific purpose of bringing peace… at the cost of human sacrifice. Jinchuriki. It was the how your father lived his life. The sealing jutsu, the Hiraishin, everything."**_

"_I… I never knew…"_

"_**That is what you got yourself into when you learned that move, Naruto. Now you must make a choice."**_

"_Am I willing to sacrifice myself?"_

"_**No, you already said you would. Does my container need to remake his oaths? If he does, I will begin looking for a new one."**_

"_Ha ha, but you are right. What is my choice, then?"_

"_**Will you put their safety over you own?"**_

"_Hai."_

"_**Will you use the Hiraishin as it was intended, as a way to prevent death rather then cause it, and not shy from the personal anguish it will cause you?"**_

"_Hai."_

"_**Then you are stronger then I. And for that… I will grant you a gift."**_

"_A present? For me?"_

"_**Hai, kit. A gift. Take it and use it for what it was intended. I created it for you a year ago."**_

Naruto stared at the massive cage expectantly, only to frown when nothing happened.

"_Kyuubi?"_

"_**Wake up, kit."**_

"_Wha…"

* * *

_

Hinata pulled herself out of the rubble to find that the object that had struck her was half of an ANBU corpse. The bottom half, luckily, for it might have been a friend. The weapon had been thrown by one of the ten more monsters to appear near the academy's gates. Hinata stared at them, watching as they growled and sneered evilly at the children cowering behind the short wall separating them from near instant death. The children's eyes were pleading for help, for safety, for someone. The cursed one's eyes were empty and foul, not at all like a Hyuga's. Their presence was evil in and of itself.

And that was what caused her to snap.

_No one will hurt those children!_

Instantly the body of one of the monsters was liquefied by a single palm strike, ripped apart by the harsh chakra of a furious young woman. Its chest was destroyed from the celular level. Hinata was moving at speeds she had never breached before. But her vision wasn't blurring. In fact, it was improving the more chakra she used. She saw the chakra networks form from the previous colored haze, then the individual tenketsu, and then the individual cells of the chakra network.

_Finally, the targets are clear!_

Nine cursed one's stood to face her, slightly surprised at her speed. But, despite this, they came at her.

But she dodged.

To the academy students it appeared as if nine blurs went through the area that should have been Hinata, only for the girl to dodge eight and instantly stop another with her hand on his heart and the body on the ground.

_I… I understand the principles!_

Hinata, with as much chakra as she had left, decided to end the threat with her greatest and first attack jutsu.

"Water Kage Style: Boiling Geyser!"

The eight monsters vanished instantly as one stream of highly pressurized and extremely hot water burst out from under them, frying their enhanced bodies as if they were merely wheat in a fire. A second later and a light fog covered the area, the pressure of the water caused by chakra had been released causing the super heated water to instantly turn to steam. Only one form still stood.

Hinata Hyuga stood with a small smile on her face, the veins around her eyes receding as she ran out of chakra.

_I… I did it! Naruto… would be proud._

She would have passed happily into unconsciousness if it wasn't for the dark forms that appeared from the fog.

_Oh… that was right… there was two dozen… not sixteen…_

She fell into unconsciousness as she saw one last blur appear from the fog and face the remaining eight monsters.

* * *

"Hinata! Hey, anybody hear me? Where's Hinata?"

"Naruto?"

The hospital in Suna is a relatively small building in the area, but with many floors. The cries of one young ninja nearly shook the building, as well as bringing three people to the room of said ninja. The first to enter was the boy's soon to be father-in-law, followed closely by one of his greatest friends and his sensei.

"Otou-san! Gaara, Jiraiya! Where is Hinata?" The blond was already pulling on his clothes, gathering equipment and eating a small snack someone had brought him for when he woke up.

"Naruto, you're awake? You were out for…"

"Days, I know. Now where is Hinata?"

"Back in Konoha…"

"WHAT? I need to hurry."

"Hurry where? Naruto, you are in no condition to…"

"Sensei, I know what condition I am in, and I can make it to Konoha. I need to. Hinata is in trouble."

Before they could say anything else, Naruto was gone with his weights still on the floor. Only then did they register what he had said.

"Hinata… in trouble?" Hiashi was gone as well, with Jiraiya on his heels.

* * *

Naruto ran at top speed straight to the top of the eastern wall of Suna where he threw a kunai.

Hard.

It left his hand faster then most people could see, and instants later Naruto was following the same trajectory. As soon as he reached the apex of his flight he threw the kunai again.

He would arrive in Konoha within fifteen minutes, at the cost of most of his chakra. The distance and speeds he was using the Hiraishin at were beyond those specified as safe by the Fourth, but he had to hurry. Hinata was in danger.

* * *

Naruto arrived on the wall of Konoha to notice three things instantly. The gate was unguarded, or at least unguarded by live guards. People were being carried towards the hospital, most with fatal wounds or already dead. And the third was that an enormous cloud of steam seemed to be rising from the academy and spreading out into a fog.

Naruto headed towards that, and found exactly what he had never wanted to find.

Hinata, on the ground, in front of enemies.

The fog was thick, he couldn't know whether she was unconscious, wounded, or… dead. But the beasts behind him would suffer the same fate no matter her state.

Naruto turned his head from his fiancé's body to his enemy. They were of the original cursed, each looking deadly and fast. And he had already burned most of his chakra.

But he knew one way to get rid of the monsters that wouldn't require his own dwindling chakra reserves.

_Kyuubi…_

_**Hai.

* * *

**_

Tsunade was running through the village trying to find anymore enemies when she saw the pillar of steam. She was minutes away, but ran full speed towards it anyway. She was only a minute away when she was forced to stop and fall to the ground in fear.

An enormous red light and chakra signature came from the area of fog only a few hundred meters away.

Instantly, Tsunade knew exactly why Jiraiya had said Naruto could beat him.

_This… is what hell must be like._

The Hokage vomited, following the example of every conscious person in the city.

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki did not exist when he took on over four tails of the Kyuubi's energy. He became a fox, working on instinct and ingrained thoughts. He maintained his higher faculties most of the time, but it became much easier to give into base feelings.

Such as love.

Or rage, as this case turned out to be.

Six tails of pure red energy waved around a fox like form the size of a house. No longer even remotely human in appearance, the mouth opened with large chakra teeth in a simply evil grin. The massive chakra animal stood protectively over the unconscious body of Hinata.

And the cursed in front of him suddenly felt an emotion that they had never felt before, one they should have been immune to by the very definition of the curse seal.

Fear.

Their instructions died in their minds and they froze in terror.

Weaker creatures would have just died.

But their resistance to dieing from simple killing intent did not bring them respite. It brought them judgment in the form of the ultimate punishment.

Most of them found themselves impaled upon steel like tails, two found themselves burned to ash by a touch of a claw.

The small battle was over before it began, the sheer energy of the jinchuriki overpowering even the insanity of the cursed seal of the heavens.

Naruto stood on the ground as the red chakra returned to his seal painfully, yet the only way possible. When the process was done he collapsed to his knees before crawling over to Hinata and making sure she was ok. Naruto was worse off than she was. Large portions of skin just weren't there anymore and blood was covering his already healing body. After seeing no serious wounds he smiled and collapsed with his arm around her.

And this was the sight Tsunade saw when she arrived.

What could she think?

Naruto had traveled hundreds of miles almost instantly after waking from a coma to save his fiancé?

Unlikely.

But it seemed to be true.

She merely smiled at the scene, forgetting the red chakra of moments ago, and picked both up before heading towards the hospital. They would be questioned later, until then they could rest.

* * *

AN: Slightly short, I know. But at least it is up. See you soon.


	36. Loved Ones

AN: Alright, here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

As for why I haven't been updating recently, I added a program to my computer to block certain websites that seem to pop up more often then not… and found out too late that fanfiction was blocked as well! AND I CAN'T REMOVE IT! I know a lot about computers, don't get me wrong. I can do a hundred things to disable a regular program. But this is special and different. I haven't had access for a long time and I had to write this and update this using an I-pod touch instead of my laptop. If you have any idea how long it takes to type on that thing, you will understand the two month wait.

So I am updating now, and hope to finish the story before the end of the school year.

Thanks for waiting.

* * *

Chapter 35: Loved Ones

* * *

Hinata awoke to find herself, first of all, alive. This surprised her more then anything else.

_How did I survive? Who was that figure who took all eight of those monsters?_

Hinata stared at the ceiling of the hospital room, wondering why her life had been spared, when she decided it was worth trying to get out of bed. Then it hit her.

She couldn't move her legs.

Or her arms.

Only her head.

But before she broke into a panic she turned her head to the side and found herself staring directly into the sleeping face of Naruto Uzumaki, the very same Naruto that, upon closer inspection, happened to have his legs tangled in hers and his arms wrapped tightly around her arms.

_I don't know how, I don't understand it at all, but somehow he managed to save me again._

Hinata gave a small giggle when Naruto curled up closer to her. His face was only inches away from her own, and Hinata couldn't help but steal a light kiss, which caused her to revert to her old habit of blushing. As luck would have it, Naruto managed to wake up just before the kiss, providing him with one of the better wake up calls he had ever experienced.

"Hm… Hinata…"

"Naruto?" Hinata's blush deepened as she realized exactly what she had done.

"Wake me up like that all the time, ok?" Naruto opened his eyes and gave her a kiss on her nose, which only made her blush more.

"H…Hai. Demo…"

"What?" Naruto's face suddenly went from smiling to worried, but Hinata just smiled at him.

"Could you let me out? I need to go to the restroom."

Naruto looked confused for a second before realized exactly what she had said.

"Oh! Hai."

Naruto carefully disentangled his arms and legs from his fiancé with his own blush before getting out of the bed. Hinata couldn't help but give him another kiss, this time full on the mouth, before going the restroom. Naruto took a seat outside the door, not willing to leave Hinata but respecting her privacy. From the door he heard a shower turn on. He sat in peace for a few minutes, just relaxing in the silence. The shower shut off, followed by Hinata asking a question through the door.

"Naruto… how did you get here? I heard that you were unconscious in Suna still…"

"Ah… that. Well, I'm sure there were plenty of exaggerations about the battle…"

"No, no one was allowed to talk about it. It is a war secret at this time. I still have no idea what went on."

"Oh… well, to make it short… I kinda tried to take on Orochimaru by myself."

"Alright."

Naruto had certainly not expected an affirmation from Hinata. Anyone else would have hit him over the head and told him how dumb it had been. Hell, when Jiraiya arrived he was positive that that would be exactly what happened. But, then again, this was Hinata. She knew him better then anyone else already.

"Yeah… and he ran away when I tried my new jutsu."

"New jutsu?"

"Yeah, but it is a forbidden jutsu now, I guess. I didn't get Orochimaru, but I wiped out the entire army in one shot, and nearly myself. It was a stupid mistake, using that, because it almost killed me and three hundred others."

"Naruto…"

"I… I just really… really didn't want to use Hiraishin."

"I… I know, Naruto."

Naruto turned to see Hinata drying her hair with a towel. He just stared, wondering what great deeds he had done in previous lives that would cause Kami to give him a love such as Hinata. She was easily the most beautiful being he had ever seen, and if the almighty Kami had come down in the form of a woman, Naruto wouldn't have been able to say she was more beautiful then his Hinata. Her voice exuded warmth and comfort, her heart was as pure as freshly fallen snow, and her eyes…

Kami.

Her eyes stared into his soul and told him every time he looked into them that everything would be alright. They weren't impassive walls like Neji Hyuga's used to be, and they didn't even seem to have the terrorizing demeanor that Hiashi was sometimes capable of. They were like windows to his own soul, providing him with peace. She was a miracle.

"Naruto?"

Naruto shock himself out of his trance mentally, cursing himself for being caught staring. He managed to come out of his daze in time to realize exactly what she had said.

"Hinata, you know about the… side-effects of the Hiraishin?"

"Hai… Jiraiya felt I should know, because… because your father went through the same thing. Nightmares and horrible memories. And he told me how the Fourth got through it."

"Really?"

"Hai, it was… your okaa-san…"

"Kaa…-san…"

"She kept him going. And… and I decided after the invasion of Kiri, that… that I want to be that for you. I want… I'll always be here for you, Naruto. You don't need to be alone… and I won't let you be anymore. From now on I'll always be right here, beside you."

"Hinata…" Naruto got up and embraced Hinata. She dug her head into his shoulder and he pulled her closer to him. "Hinata, arigato…" Naruto kissed the young woman in his arms with as much passion as he had in him. Minutes passed before they broke apart.

"Well, I see you're both back to normal."

Naruto and Hinata, when months or years ago would have jumped apart at the sudden intrusion, only broke their kiss and slightly loosened their embrace. They both turned to see the Hokage standing in the doorway of the room with a smirk on her face.

"Hai, bachan."

"Good, you're awake, Naruto. Now I want an explanation from you."

"Well, she is my fiancée…"

"That's not what I mean, and you know it."

"I'll try my hardest to answer all your questions, bachan."

"Why the hell did you turn a few kilos of Suna into glass? Why were you asleep for days? And finally, how the hell did you get to Konoha in less then an hour!"

Hinata stared at Naruto in wonder. Apparently there was more to this jutsu then he had let on. And… how _had_ he gotten to Konoha so fast?

"Well, to answer them in order. To kill Orochimaru without using Hiraishin, though he escaped. I was being held captive by Kyuubi until I admitted that I had made mistakes and promised not to make them again. And I used the Hiraishin to get back."

"Used Hiraishin… Naruto, that doesn't make sense. That would have drained the Fourth ten times over…"

"And it drained me once. I did it, bachan. Really, I did. I felt that Hinata was in trouble, so I came. Now, can you please tell me what is going on? What happened after the battle?"

"You were out for a few days, but nothing happened. Besides this most recent attack by two dozen of those cursed beings. You and Hinata stopped them well. Two ANBU were overconfident and managed to die for their lack of intelligence, and over thirty villagers were either wounded or killed. Your old sensei, Umino Iruka, is actually recovering in his own room here from more severe chakra exhaustion then either of you. His fiancé, Mitarashi Anko, is still in critical condition from an apparent run in with those monsters, but it looks like she will recover. Even if it will only be with one lung, one kidney, and only some limited movement in her left leg."

"Damn it, she was a good ninja."

"I know, one of the best. Iruka is pissed as hell, if you can imagine it, and Anko hasn't woken up yet. I think everyone will be surprised at her reaction."

"Why, Tsunade-sama?"

"Because I think Anko was ready to give up being a ninja the moment Iruka asked her to marry him. Anyway, nothing else has happened, though I was able to examine one of those monsters up close for the first time."

"Anything interesting?"

"No, just that our original assumption were correct. Incurable, but extremely deadly ninja. There was only one revelation, and that was that their minds are truly incapable of independent thought. Orochimaru gives them an order and they follow it. In this case, the order was to attack Anko's group and anyone who got in the way. That's why they came here."

"That's horrible…"

"So what comes next?"

Tsunade smirked at him as she walked back to the door. She walked out the door and held the door open for a moment before looking back at the two left sitting in the room.

"You two get some rest. The next move is going to be made by them, not us. Oh, Hinata."

"Hai?"

Tsunade casually flipped a scroll over her shoulder, which Hinata caught.

"The test yesterday was an emergency promotion test. You passed, and are now a jonin. Stop by my office later today for instructions."

* * *

_Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it…_

Iruka Umino, usually a happy or at least easy to get along with man, was not happy. In fact, if it weren't for the restraints that lashed him to the hospital bed, he would be already in the room next to his. The only one that mattered.

_At least she is alive, right? That's what matters, right? She won't come to her senses and… and…_

"Sensei, who put you in here?"

Iruka stopped staring into space and turned to see the door frame filled with two of his favorite students that he had ever had. That, at least, brought a small smile to his face.

"Naruto, Hinata. It is nice to see you both again."

"Same here, sensei! Though I never thought it would be me standing above your hospital bed with you tied to it, I guess turnabout is fair play, eh? Who did you piss off to get tied down?" Naruto gave him a wide grin, which Iruka returned. Both remembered multiple instances where Iruka had taken Naruto in for medical treatment do to poor planning with explosive notes or from showing off with his kunai skills. It had at least shown he cared for Naruto, because most of the time the wound was healed half way to the hospital. It was one of the many things that made Iruka one of Naruto's most precious people.

"Good morning, sensei." Hinata gave him a small smile, one that brought back memories to his mind of the shy little blind girl who everyone pitied except Naruto.

"Morning? I guess my job as teacher wasn't done as well as I had hoped. Look at the sun, it isn't rising in the west, is it? It seems to be setting."

"Nani? We were asleep for a whole day!"

"I wouldn't know, I only woke up around noon."

"That reminds me, sensei…" Hinata's small smile became a little sad. "…are you ok? With Anko-san, I mean."

Iruka's smile dropped completely and he once again stared straight ahead, his common activity for the past few hours.

"Sensei?"

"Will she be the same person, you think?"

"What?"

"Anko was a ninja, that was her life…" Iruka turned to look out his window at the evening sky. As the sun set, he couldn't help but wonder if Anko was setting with it.

* * *

Another man watched the same sunset with entirely different feelings. A muscle bound youth stood with sweat dripping in his eyes with a smile that could match Naruto's best on his face. Rock Lee couldn't think of a more perfect end to a perfect day of perfect training in his goal to be perfect._ Unless I could be like Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Choji. That would be perfect. All I need now is a girlfriend._

Rock Lee, taijutsu master and master with his own weapons, wanted a girlfriend more than anything. He had even changed his outfit recently in order drive less women away from him in fear. It was something Gai had told him was the price of greatness, but Lee was allowed to disagree with his sensei on at least some things. Instead of green spandex and a hair style that looked like it could repel kunai, Lee wore what the average chunin or jonin wore plus his leg warmers and weights. His hair had grown out some so it looked less like a helmet and more like hair. He would still loudly rant about the "fires of youth", but it was less often and less loud then in the past.

Now all he needed to do was wait.

Lee placed his weight weapons back in his sheaths in his leg warmers and toweled his face off. He knew, without a doubt, that women would come flocking to him eventually. If only a certain girl would get over his teammates boyfriend and look at him.

_Sakura… how I wish you would look at me with the same eyes you stare at Sasuke with. Until you do I must shine even brighter with the fires of youthfulness that I hold._

Like lightning, the weapon was out of its sheath in the leg warmers and a training log exploded. Lee stood at the ready, his weapon already over his shoulder and prepared for a second attack. He had been practicing his draw all day, and it was only getting faster. Once again he placed his weights in their sheaths and this time walked off, leaving a decimated training ground behind him.

"Lee, you stance would allow for more speed if it was only one centimeter lower to the ground."

Lee looked into the air to see the lazy genius, Shikamaru, sitting in a tree perfectly still and silent. Lee hadn't even noticed him there. Lee was never the type to disregard advice, especially from such a reliable source, so he sunk his stance only a slight bit lower and felt the increase in muscle tension. Exactly as the genius had said. But training was over for today.

"Arigato Shikamaru-kun, but I'm done with training for today."

"Really? I thought you would never quit. I need you to come with me. The Hokage has a mission for us."

* * *

Choji Akimichi, one of the strongest men in Konoha, sat in a beautiful greenhouse drinking tea. If someone had passed by and looked through the glass walls they would have seen an absolutely massive man sitting perfectly straight and drinking his green tea right next to a woman half his size who was nibbling on a sweet rice ball. Ino Yamanaka, former shinobi and now proprietor of the Yamanaka Flower Shop, sat leaning against a wall of muscle she had claimed as her owned. An odder pair, at least physically, could not be seen in all the five elemental countries.

"Ino…"

"Hm?"

"How… are you today?"

Choji Akimichi was probably the largest and physically strongest person close to his age, but was nearly the shyest in the world. Only Hinata, before Naruto had left, would probably beat him out in that category. And right now he was attempting the impossible.

"Um… fine? But that's the fourth time you've asked me that question in an hour, Choji. Is something wrong?"

Ino, on the other hand, had mellowed out considerably upon leaving the shinobi life. Sasuke had a girlfriend who could dismember her, so there was no reason to pursue him any more. And then Choji had kept up his visits even though he was busy with shinobi work. He still treated her as if they were teammates, maybe even something more, and so Ino had asked him out. Two years ago. And without competition with Sakura or anyone she had no longer felt it was necessary to keep up her diet. She wasn't fat now, not at all. She was healthy.

"Uh… nope!" Choji gave a weak fake smile and put his arm behind his head with a laugh. Ino snickered at his antics, knowing without a doubt that something was up. But with Choji, it usually meant he was trying to ask her out on a date or something. She'd figured that he would have gotten used to her after two years, but apparently he was still in awe of her affection.

And that was fine with her, it made things interesting.

Choji returned to his tea with shaking hands, which didn't go unnoticed by Ino, and took another sip to calm down. He had almost asked her just then. Almost. But he didn't.

_Come on… come on… you can do this!_

"Choji, just ask me what you want to ask me. I can tell from here that you're going crazy over something, so just say it."

Choji's eyes darted to Ino, astounded at her perception even thought a normal human could have noticed the same thing.

"Ah… you got me Ino. I… was… well…"

"Do I need to read you mind, Choji, or are you going to tell me?"

"No, no, no! Don't do that!"

Ino frowned. That was a new reaction. Was he hiding something from her? Did he… want to break up? The thought itself almost made her choke on the rice ball. She set it down and took a quick drink of tea to cover her reaction. That couldn't be what he wanted to say, right? They had been together for years now… but there were only two places to go from here…

Either they would break up…

… or be together forever.

Which did Ino want?

_Would it be so bad if Choji dated someone else? It isn't like we ever did 'it'. I could date other guys…_

But her mind refused to find any shred of possible joy in that thought. In fact, the only feeling she could imagine without Choji was…

_Pain?_

_Oh Kami… I'm in love!_

And that thought did cause her to choke on her tea. Choji gently patted her back until she calmed down. Another one of Choji's finer points. He was gentle as a child to anyone that was not his enemy.

"Are you ok, Ino?"

Tears from the choking were in her eyes, but at least one was a tear of sadness from merely the thought of what might be said soon.

"F…fine. I'm fine."

"Good." And then he gave her that big smile the size of Konoha and her heart melted like it always did.

_Because I'm in love._

The thought calmed her and made her more anxious at the same time. She at least understood herself more now. But what was Choji trying to say.

"Choji?"

"Hm?"

"Wha… what were you going to say?"

_Great. Now it's me who is stuttering._

"I… um… well, you see… the point is that… I… I really… l… like you."

_That's not what I wanted to say._

_Like me? Like me as in 'Let's just be friends?'?_

"No… that's not it… I… I…"

_SAY IT, you damn mouth! You better say it or no food for a… half a day._

_He doesn't like me?_

"I love you. Will you marry me?"

… _There. I said it_

_... nani?_

"Will I… marry you?"

"Hai."

"You… love me?"

"Hai."

"I…"

_What will she say?_

_What do I say?_

"I… yeah."

"You… yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Sure?"

"Hai."

"You'll marry me?"

"Hai."

"Really?"

"Hai."

"…Really?"

"Are you trying to talk me out of it?"

"No! I mean… if you don't want to…"

"Shut up."

And it was then, after saying all that, that Ino realized exactly what she had said. Her mind had shut down and her heart had acted for itself. And she was perfectly fine with that. So she jumped up and stood on her toes to kiss the sitting giant silent. A minute later a stoic man in a coat obviously too warm for this greenhouse stepped out from the foliage. Shino had no more time to wait.

"I do not wish to interrupt, but Choji has been called to a meeting with the Hokage."

Choji looked like he was waking up when they broke their kiss, but after the words 'meeting' and 'Hokage' he was ready to move. It was his job.

"Um… I'll be back soon, Ino!"

"Hai."

His now fiancé's face looked just as dazed as his had moments ago.

"Congratulations, by the way."

"Huh?"

"On the engagement."

"Oh, yeah!"

And with that, the two were off towards the Hokage tower. One with a straight face, the other with his dazed look still attached to his face along with a silly smile.

* * *

"Hyuga Neji, Akimichi Choji, Rock Lee, Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Shikamaru, Aburame Shino and Ten-ten. Good of all of you to make it. You are here because we are in desperate need of information about the movements of the enemy. You all have specific skills that I have determined to be important to the mission. It will be A-ranked, for all who want to know. You will be investigating the defenses of the capital city of Kumo. And, if the circumstances provide, you will cause damage to their war effort in any way possible. Survival is more important than damage, obviously. So use discretion. Any questions?"

Shikamaru raised his hand.

"Two. First, who is leading the mission? Second, why is Naruto not with us? If it is damage you want caused then Naruto would be the one to come."

"Two answer you questions, first of all I am not sending Naruto because he is still recovering from his battle at Suna and trip back to Konoha along with the fact that I would never send him to use that jutsu ever. It is too powerful and innocents will get killed. To answer the first question, the leaders are right outside my office. Haruno Sakura, my protégé, will be assistant leader and healer on this mission. The leader will be Hatake Kakashi."

Shikamaru nodded and stepped back, assuming such. Ten-ten frowned from the addition of the girl who still fawned over her boyfriend, but accepted it silently. Sasuke smirked at the chance to work with his old sensei again, even if it was with his old teammate as well. Choji stared into space out the window.

"Choji, are you alright?"

The Hokage was suddenly in front of the huge youth, only three quarters his height. Choji noticed that everyone seemed to be staring at him.

"Um… what was the question?"

"I was going to ask what was the problem, but I asked five times already."

"Sorry, I was just… thinking."

"About what, may I ask? You're lack of hearing is not what I expect from one of our top ninja."

"I… well…"

"Choji just asked Yamanaka Ino to marry him."

Instantly all eyes in the room turned to face Shino.

"What?"

"I did." Choji gave a small glare in Shino's direction. This was his story.

"And?"

"She said yes."

The room broke into congratulations and slaps on the back. Even the Hokage smiled about the news that was at least a sparkle of brightness in the darkness of the war. Shikamaru, usually one of the least emotional, was congratulating his best friend the most.

"Congratulations, kid."

A new voice and a new face in the room caused each ninja to suddenly tense and turn before relaxing in realization. The toad hermit sat in the window, wearing a serious face that could only mean something that most everyone else would weep about.

"Jiraiya, what news from the Iwa front?"

"The siege of Suna destroyed what we assumed to be a large fraction of their forces, but we were wrong. The kage and what I can only guess is a force of over ten thousand is ready to march. My guess is that they already have begun to march since I left."

Gasps of disbelief, even from Shikamaru, filled the room. Tsunade stared deep into Jiraiya's eyes, knowing that he would only report the truth these days.

"If this is true then we have a serious problem, Jiraiya."

"I know."

Silence filled the room. Ten thousand? That was more ninja than all of the allied nations together could come up with.

"How many cursed?"

"Three quarters."

Over seven thousand monsters, each the equivalent of a jonin, were about to march on what could only be assumed would be Konoha.

"That is the good news."

"The good news? What on earth makes that GOOD?" Tsunade was getting very stressed.

"They are a fair distance away, two days for a group that large and in need of control. Orochimaru was not among them, making those monsters less manageable. The bad news… well, whatever mission you about to send these guys on should be postponed."

"What? What is it? This day can't get much worse…"

"Kumo is missing."

No one moved. No one breathed.

"What… do you mean?"

"Kumo, the nation, is completely shrouded in fog. When I reached the capitol… it was empty of all ninja. Not one was left. I followed every path I could find and saw absolutely no sign of… well… anything. It was as if the entire ninja population disappeared. They could be anywhere now…"

"ANBU!"

Instantly three ANBU black ops were next to the Hokage.

"Warn the gate guards of a potential attack and to be prepared immediately. You, call all active jonin to an emergency meeting in exactly ten minutes. And you, all clan heads need to be in the counsel room in exactly fifteen minutes." The three disappeared. "And you…"

Kakashi and Sakura had come in during Jiraiya's report and now the entire team was standing at attention for their orders.

"…your mission has changed. You will travel south and east of Konoha in a search pattern. If Kumo is out there, they will be going for a surprise attack from that direction. I need a report, so don't engage unless necessary. Go, NOW!"

With that, the team of ninja, chunin and jonin all, was off.

* * *

Mitarashi Anko sat up in her hospital bed with an unreadable expression on her face. Her eyes drifted from her visitors to the surroundings and out the window. She didn't even acknowledge their presence. Hinata, Naruto, and a mostly recovered Iruka sat in an awkward and complete silence, none able to speak for fear of saying the wrong thing. Anko hadn't responded to a word that was said to her, not even from Iruka.

She was like a shell of her former self.

"Anko… I…" Iruka didn't know what to say. He might be a ninja of Konoha, but he had no idea what to do now. His fiancé had suffered a crippling injury, possibly permanent and most definantly career ending, and she wouldn't speak to him or anyone.

Naruto was sick of it.

"Stop it, sensei. She's not gonna talk. She's just gonna sit there in her self pity and angst and wonder what life would be like if she had been just a bit faster. She isn't going to take notice of the fact that she isn't dead, that a guy who loves her almost killed himself to save her, that the same guy was going to marry her, that she was going to settle down anyway and have tons of kids all named after me so she wouldn't even want to be off risking the life of her children's mother. She's just going to mope and cry and forget the only things that made life worth living…"

Naruto's only warning was the small glint of sun on steal before he was forced to pull two kunai out of his cloak where they had him pinned to the wall. All three pairs of eyes in the room were looking at him. Two in absolute shock that Naruto would ever say something that cruel to Anko. One in anger at the comments.

One in anger, not lack of emotion. A change.

But before Anko decided to follow up her attack on Naruto, her face changed from anger to anguish. Naruto's face dropped from angry to a smile as Anko broke into sobs.

"Hey, hey… now that's the crazy lady I remember."

Iruka wrapped is arms around Anko again, but instead of shrugging out of his arms like before, she buried her face into his chest.

"Anko…"

"Gomen… gomen…"

Naruto and Hinata were already gone by the time Iruka stopped stroking Anko's hair.

* * *

Hinata walked through the garden of the Hyuga manor with absolute grace and poise. Her hair flowed out behind her like indigo waves in the late fall wind. The leafs of the trees were falling as she strode towards the main house with a graceful quickness. She had returned home from the hospital hours ago and, after spending some well deserved time with Naruto, had taken a walk alone in the garden. At least it had been peaceful until a servant had come running up saying her father and Naruto had both been summoned to an emergency meeting by the Hokage. It had only been for active jonin of Konoha, and Hinata had not yet been officially discharged from the hospital. For all she knew this would be a mission for Naruto where she wouldn't see him again for the almost two months before…

_The wedding! I almost forgot!_

That thought nearly drove her to quicken her pace, but she maintained her pace for the servant's sake.

"Hinata-sama, they have already been in the meeting for at least ten minutes!"

"Then I'll meet them at the door when they return."

Most of the cadet family branch adored Hinata, and it was easy to see why. Where many main branch members treated them as cattle, Hinata treated them as people even higher then herself.

She reached the main gate in one a minute and straightened her white yukata just in time for the door to open. In walked Hiashi and a small personal guard, but they were not the ones Hinata was worried about.

Naruto walked in moments later to her instantaneous relief. It was only when she saw his face that she understood that things weren't right.

"Otou-san… Naruto? What is wrong?"

"Hinata, come to the counsel room. I'm calling an emergency meeting and you should be there as heiress. Naruto, follow me."

Hinata was left standing confused in the entryway with only a small, weak smile from Naruto as he followed Hiashi with absolute silence.

Something was definitely wrong.

* * *

Kakashi led his large team towards the south east at breakneck speed. The only one in the team not tired out by the pace was Lee, but that didn't stop any of them. Complete silence and stealth was called for in this mission, they all knew it. Hopefully the enemy was not out here. Hopefully they were merely hiding to the north on the tip of the peninsula of cloud. But they all knew hope does not effect reality.

They had traveled a regular day's distance in only hours and were coming up on the border of wave country when they were stopped by Kakashi.

* * *

"Honorable counsel members of the Hyuga clan, what I say today is top secret and cannot, under penalty of death, be repeated outside of the room. The entire ninja armies of Kumo and Iwa are on the move. Approximately twenty thousand ninjas are preparing an all out attack on Konoha in the near future. We have maybe a day and a half to prepare."

Whispers of worry and confusion rattled through the room. Naruto and Hinata sat on either side of Hiashi, Hinata looking to Naruto and Naruto staring at the table with his hands folded.

Thinking.

"The Aburame clan has already deployed its ninja to defend against the remains of the Kamizuru clan. The Nara clan is with them. The Akimichi clan is with the Nara clan as well. Three of Konoha's most prestigious clans will be on the North front of this battle. The Hokage believes Kumo will come from the South. I have already decided what our clan will do. All able ninja in the Hyuga clan, cadet or main branch, will be armed and ready for battle in exactly twenty four hours. I include myself and many of you in that group. Our clan will be fighting against Kumo. Further orders will be given when the clan meets in the great hall in exactly twenty four hours. Everyone must be there, and everyone on the lists in front of you must be armed for battle."

Not a sound went through the room. Never in the history of the clan had something like this happened. The shear numbers of the enemy would be enough to make even Might Gai cringe. Naruto knew this, and as Hiashi sat down he stood up.

"I will be leading our ninja against Iwa, as much as I would rather fight with you. Even though I am technically part of my own clan, I was raised in this one as a Hyuga and if I could I would fight beside all of you to save our village and nation."

* * *

"I think we have a problem. Neji."

"Byakugan."

"What is out there, Neji?"

Neji stood looking into the trees of a forest, Kakashi and his team behind him. A minute passed before Neji spoke.

"The army of Kumo."

* * *

"I can't promise you that we will win when Suna will only send a thousand ninja and we only have about three ourselves. But I can promise you one thing. If we _don't_ win, our elderly will be killed. If we don't win, our women will be raped. If we don't win then every citizen in this town will be enslaved or killed. If we don't win then everything every man and woman has ever stood for in Konohagakure will have been for nothing. So even if you care nothing for anyone outside of this clan, fight. Fight for the clan's right to exist."

* * *

"How many?"

"Too many to count. Thousands of ninja and monsters."

"How far."

"Six hundred meters and closing. They will be on us in two minutes… no."

"What?"

"They've seen us."

* * *

"I will fight for my city and everyone in it. Until the last ninja of Konoha falls, this coming battle will NOT END."

* * *

"What do we do, Kakashi?"

"Run."

Instantly the team was off, back towards Konoha and the temporary safety of the city.

* * *

"The Hyuga clan has long proclaimed to be the greatest clan in Konoha. Well, now is the time to prove it. You will be going against monsters who are twice as fast as a normal human and five times as strong, who possess the Byakugan, and who have the chakra to push a kaiten into the ground."

* * *

Sasuke and Ten-ten stopped and set a quick trap that took less then a second to set. Lee had dropped his weights and was heading back towards Konoha to warn everyone about the position of the enemy. Neji, Kakashi, Sakura, Shikamaru, Shino, and Choji ran on.

But the sounds of cracking trees seemed to be getting closer.

* * *

"Surrender is not an option. Surrender means death for all ninja. So what will you do? Will you cower like dogs in your beds?"

* * *

Sasuke pulled out a kunai and spun in mid air to block five shurikin thrown at twice the speed of any he had ever seen.

"We have company, Kakashi."

Kakashi spun around and, faster then any could see, he shoved an electrically charged hand into the heart of a jumping curse victim.

"Go, I'll hold them off."

Kakashi pulled a strange looking weapon from his pouch and twirled it on his finger before gripping it like a sword. Almost instantly a blade coated in chakra appeared, sharp as the day it was used to slay rock ninja in the wars. It cut a deformed wing from the next beast and quickly cut the head off before it had a chance to hit the ground.

"GO!"

* * *

"Or will you show the will of fire that has been gone from our clan for far too long!"

* * *

The team was gone. They were all on their way to safety. Kakashi, though, stood in the middle of the forest floor surrounded by cursed beings.

"Who's next?"

Kakashi was covered in the blood of his enemies, their corpses littered the ground. But it seemed as if an endless supply of then surrounded him and he was getting tired.

_Damn it… this isn't what was supposed to happen. I was supposed to get Kurenai to marry me. I was…_

Then a kunai came from the trees ahead and pierced one of the monsters in the forehead.

* * *

"Be prepared tomorrow for an…" Naruto suddenly stopped talking and stared into space. Hinata was about to get up and check if he was ok when he disappeared.

* * *

Choji, Ten-ten, and Sasuke appeared on the branches above Kakashi and the enemies surrounding him.

"Kakashi, you didn't think we would let you sacrifice yourself, did you?"

Ten-ten pulled another kunai from her pouch as Choji started gathering chakra. Sasuke's eyes turned from black to the sharingan.

The kunai Ten-ten was holding disappeared a moment later, only to appear buried in the flesh of another enemy's neck. She truly was the weapon mistress of Konoha.

Kakashi smirked, knowing that no matter how hard they tried, four ninja would only take about fifty total enemies at the most, not ten thousand.

Despair did not cross his mind, though. Despair was for those who did not expect to die. Kakashi had planned this day for years.

"You idiots. All three of you are engaged. Get going."

Only Choji's face softened slightly. He really should get back to Ino…

He didn't need to decide what to do, for at that moment Naruto Uzumaki slammed at high speed into the arm of a monster. The same arm that a kunai was imbedded in from a certain scroll Ten-ten had received.

"Nani? What the hell are you guys do…ing…"

Naruto suddenly realized exactly where he was and what was going on.

"Naruto? Where did you come from?"

"Someone threw my kunai. So I showed up."

"But… the distance?"

"I don't know, ask me when there isn't a thousand monsters around us."

The five ninja now stood in a circle with their backs to each other, each ready to fight to the death.

"Dobe, why'd you have to show?"

"Because, teme, you threw a kunai with my name on it."

"Actually, that was me."

"Ten-ten, you should watch what you throw."

"Why? Can't you just used your move and kill 'um all?"

"Maybe if I had kunai on me! I have two explosive notes and one kunai. That's it."

"Stop arguing. Here's a scroll."

Naruto grabbed the scroll behind his back and opened it. He bit his thumb when an idea came to him.

"Everyone, hang on."

"Wha…"

The group was forced into silence by an enormous burst of chakra from Naruto. They turned to see what was going on.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A large cloud of smoke enveloped the ninja and when it cleared they were gone.

* * *

The five other members of the ninja team were already far ahead of the enemies, many with tears in their eyes from watching their friends from the academy fade into the trees to an almost certain death. Lee was forced to carry Sakura when she had broken down in tears for her former sensei and teammate. He had come back to the group after reaching the gates of Konoha and telling the chunin on duty to bring the Hokage to the gate.

"Kakashi… and Sasuke…"

_Sasuke? Not Sasuke-kun?_

"Sakura-chan… don't worry. Those four are strong with the fires of…" Lee stopped talking when he noticed it didn't seem to be helping. She just wept into her hands. When she had calmed down a little Lee set her back down. He was surprised to receive a hug from the girl.

"Arigato… Lee…"

"Ah… um…"

Lee was stunned into silence. Sakura managed a weak smile on her red and tear streaked face. It seemed she was finally looking at Lee. And all Lee could do was smile back.

* * *

The Hokage and an ANBU guard were there to meet the five as they came into the city. Coincidently, Ino Yamanaka was delivering some flowers to someone who lived near the gate and decided to go greet the Hokage herself.

She was almost at the gate when the remains of the team arrived at the gate, panting for breath and sweating profusely. Neji reported.

"Hokage-sama, it was as you predicted. They are out their, many thousands strong. Only a days travel away for an army of that size."  
Ino was startled but stood her ground. What were they talking about?

"And the others."

"We were spotted."

"Shit…"

"Kakashi stayed behind and Sasuke, Ten-ten and…" Neji stopped before saying the next name and glanced towards Ino's direction where she stared at them in shock and horror.

Sasuke and Kakashi? Dead? Ten-ten, the girl everyone was jealous of for earning Sasuke's love… was gone? And who else…

_Wait… oh no… no…_

"No…"

Ino watched as Neji averted his eyes and mumbled the last name to the Hokage.

She saw his lips.

_No._

"Shit… he was the best in his clan."

Ino had calmly walked up to Neji and looked him in the eyes before Neji broke the glare and stared at the ground.

"You're lying…" Ino's voice was perfectly calm. "Choji isn't dead."

"Ino…"

"Choji ISN'T DEAD!" Tears were already pouring from her eyes and her voice was cracking as she screamed the last part to the world before slapping Neji.

Hard.

Ino had dropped the flowers when she had heard of her friend's deaths and, in her haste to run away from the group Choji should be with, she tripped over them and landed on the road in a heap. She didn't even try to get up. She just curled her body into a ball with tears pouring from her eyes.

"It's not true… it's not true… it can't be true… he asked me to marry him… he's fine… just a little late, that's all…"

The entire group had tears in their eyes for their friends and Sakura was trying her best to comfort her friend when a small toad, the size of a fist, hopped through the gate and onto the Hokage's head.

It croaked a little and then hopped off, breaking the entire feeling of the moment. Only an instant later the frog hopped into an empty area of the road and opened its mouth.

Everyone was surprised to se a hand pop out of the mouth, easily the size of the mouth. Slowly, and disgustingly, an arm was out, then a head and a body. Eventually the entire form of Naruto Uzumaki was out of the frog. He didn't even notice the gaping crowd of ninja staring at him as he shook off the toad oil and reached his hand back into the bottomless toad. Another person emerged, followed by another and another. After a few minutes, Naruto stood beside a complaining Ten-ten and Sasuke, a calm Kakashi, and a happy Choji.

"Thanks for the ride, bud."

The toad croaked and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Only then didn't Naruto turn around to see the group of ninja staring at them with wide open mouths and eyes almost bugging out of their sockets.

"Oh. Hey everyone? Bet you're all wondering why I just pulled three people out of a toad, huh? Well, you see, a great ninja never lets out his secre…" Naruto was hit in the back of the head by an annoyed Ten-ten.

"Sorry for worrying you all. It turns out Naruto was able to save our butts when we threw one of his kunai. Weirdest freaking jutsu that I have ever seen. It was… oh… nasty… bleh… bleh bleh bleh…" Ten-ten had gotten some toad oil in her mouth from her soaking hair. Sasuke was behind her and trying not to laugh. Naruto did laugh, but that only earned him another kick to the back of his head. Kakashi saluted the Hokage and walked off to find Kurenai.

"Ino?" Choji was looking down of the form of his fiancé curled around some crushed flowers. She had been staring at him like he was a ghost and he could see the tell tale signs of tears on her face.

"Ch…choji?"

"Are you ok? What happened? Did you trip? Are you hurt?" Choji helped her stand with his usual kindness and gentleness. Ino sniffed a bit before embracing him in a hug. She couldn't wrap her arms completely around his body, but anyone could tell that she had no intention of letting go.


	37. Game Point

Chapter 36: Game Point

* * *

In a small glade merely ten miles from the northern gates of Konoha three men stood ready for war. A tall elderly man who looked only a few years younger then the Third Hokage had at his death stood with his black and brown battle armor on, the symbol of Iwa engraved in every metal surface and shining like the sun. A middle aged man with short brown hair was twirling his large sword in circles with his finger. The longest living legendary swordsman of the mist had, ironically, become a missing ninja of the mist village in his youth and joined up with Kumo when Kiri and Kumo had been at odds with each other. He easily worked his way through the ranks with deception and backstabbing and finally became the Raikage. He stopped twirling his sword as the third man spoke.

"I assume that Iwa's forces are in formation, honorable Tsuchikage?"

"My forces will be ready to attack the day after tomorrow, exactly at the time planned. Are Kumo's troops prepared?"

The swordsman smirked. It was obvious to both the other men that the man was powerful, and yet something was very wrong with him at the same time. The Raikage had killed seventy of his personal assistants since coming to his station, most for nothing more then making too much noise while they dropped a stack of paper.

He had only been Raikage less then a year.

"Kumo is ready."

The third man gave a slight, almost unperceivable shudder. Not of fear, as one would expect.

Orochimaru shuddered in almost physical pleasure. The sheer power and insanity he had surrounded himself with was enough to make him smile.

This time the other two men shuddered.

Definitely out of fear.

"Good. The attack begins on my signa…" Just then Orochimaru's smile shifted into a frown right before he coughed blood onto the ground. The other two men stood ready for anything but Orochimaru merely stood up, wiped his mouth, and smirked again.

"It looks like this body is going to give out sooner than I had hoped. But no matter… I have plenty of replacements lined up…"

* * *

"Kuso… I'm gonna get it from the counsel now!"

Naruto Uzumaki hopped across the rooftops at his top speed towards the Hyuga manor where only minutes ago he had been giving a speech to the counsel.

"Shit, I bet they all think I'm dead or something… Hinata will kill me!"

_**Don't you want to know why you were able to do that long range Hiraishin?**_

Naruto instantly tripped and fell into an alley way, bouncing off the walls before landing directly on his face.

_**Graceful, as always.**_

_Annoying, as always. What do you mean, long range Hiraishin?_

_**You went almost a day's journey in, what? An instant?**_

_Yeah… I was kinda wondering about that…_

_**That was my gift, baka. Your seal, as your father's before you, was imperfect even in its most mature form. Your brush strokes, as all humans are, were not perfectly steady and the seal engraved into them was not even made by you. But it was close, so close to being correct.**_

_So? You changed every seal on every kunai to be perfect?_

_**No, I changed your chakra signature to perfectly fit the seal.**_

_Oh, that makes more sense._

Naruto was back up in an instant and within moments had reached the manor and was at the doors of the counsel room. With a push that was obviously more then necessary by the way the doors flung open with an enormous boom, silencing the room beyond which had been in an uproar for the last few minutes.

"Naruto!" Naruto's gaze instantly went to the people who called him. Hinata and Hiashi all stood at the front of the counsel and, with the rest of the people in the room, had their eyes on him.

"Gomen. I was called away to help a scout team." Naruto grinned and put his arms behind his head like old times. "I just had to go. What happened while I was gone?"

"We pretty much just argued about what the hell happened to you."

"Oh… well, I'm back. And, I guess I should report that the Kumo army has been spotted just south of the city, less then a day away now."

Gasps and murmurs filled the room once again as Naruto walked to the front. He nodded to the Hokage, who had just followed him in, and took his seat once again, trying his hardest not to make eye contact with the tear streaked face of Hinata except to give a reassuring smile. As he took his seat the Hokage decided to bring the room to order.

The sound of the floor cracking and the room shaking was enough to silence the crowd.

"We expected this and ninety-five percent of our ninja are in Konoha and ready to fight. Gaara of the sand himself will be arriving soon from the west sometime this evening. He should get here before they have us surrounded."

"The Hyuga clan has agreed to fight on the southern border, Naruto."

"Good. Bachan, what now?"

"We call a counsel of war."

* * *

Right lung.

Left lung.

Liver.

Throat.

Neck.

Head.

Heart.

Another kunai went into the training dummy, followed closely by a senbon passing through the loop and the end of the knife. Ten-ten smiled as Sasuke smirked.

"Looks like you are not the only one in Konoha with a one hundred percent hit rate with weapons anymore, Ten-ten."

"It was still me throwing half of those senbon, Sasuke. Don't get all cocky right before we go off to war."

"Me? Cocky? Never."

"Oh yeah? Let's look back into your past, Sasuke-kun. You were, to put it mildly, a complete ass."

"But a good looking ass, right?"

Ten-ten sighed and sat down in the grass of the training ground and Sasuke plopped down right beside her. She glanced over at the handsome Uchiha and punched him in the arm. He always did provide a good view, but there was no reason to tell him that.

"Ten-ten…"

"Yeah?"

"We almost bought it on that last mission, didn't we?"

"Yeah."

Silence. It wasn't something either liked to admit. They had been really about to die. Only a fluke of a miracle saved them.

"Ten-ten?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not a sentimental guy…"

"You think I don't know that…"

"But what I wanted… what I need to say was that… kuso…"

Sasuke had his hands at his chin in a classic thinking position when Ten-ten glanced his way. He seemed to be struggling with something…

"Ten-ten, we've been going out for over three years now and not once have we ever told each other what we feel about each other. I mean, we've both held hands and gone on dates and trained together and kissed once or twice but not once have we ever said… It hit me as we sat in that frog's stomach that I never…"

"Sasuke… what are you trying…"

"I love you."

Ten-ten just stared at Sasuke, who was now looking very intently at her face. Never before had he looked this serious since the days when he had been determined to kill his brother. His eyes showed nothing but an intensity that others would have a hard time even comprehending.

"Sasuke…"

"Ten-ten, I don't need you to say anything right now but… I really needed to tell you before this battle begins. You saved my life, Ten-ten. When I was contemplating my future, or lack there of, it was your presence that allowed me to even stay in Konoha. I'd be long gone without you. Kakashi thought we were engaged, and I can't think of anything I would like better. I love you, and I don't want to live without you. When this is all over…"

Sasuke didn't get a chance to finish before Ten-ten had shut him up with a kiss. For years Sasuke had been a empty person filled with only the black hole of hatred for the world around him and anyone who dared to get in his way. When Ten-ten had come into his life the hole had closed. Now he was beginning to fill his soul again, this time with love.

* * *

Rock Lee had virtually done nothing but usher around a shocked Sakura since their return. Only a few hours had passed, but Lee couldn't help but be happy at the situation he was in despite the news that the city was likely going to under attack in a day and a half. Sakura had calmed down after a while of walking around the city and, to his great surprise, hadn't removed his arm from her shoulders. She seemed… more calm to Lee. Not in just the exterior emotional way, but it was like the turmoil she had been going through for years was finally gone. He couldn't say for sure, but Sakura might have been smiling.

"Lee…"

Lee was almost too startled to respond. Sakura never talked to him, ever.

"S…Sakura-san?"

"…Arigato. For helping me… back there…"

"It… it was nothing, Sakura…"

"No… it was. You know… that was the first time I had ever thought that Sasuke… had died? And… while I was angry and sad… I just couldn't help but think… I should have been hurting more. It was like when a friend died, not a lover… And I thought… is there anyone I know that it would break my heart to have die? Only one person cares about me that way and… and the only presence I know I would miss… was you."

"Sakura?"

"Gomen…"

"No… arigato."

They walked like that, leaning on each other in more ways then one, for a few hours more before night fell.

* * *

Kakashi stood at the door to a small, modest apartment with his hands in his pockets and his face downcast. His hand brushed a small orange book in his pocket, but flinched away from its leather bound cover subconsciously.

_Never thought that would happen. But, then again, I never thought I would shy away from death like that._

For the first time in his life Kakashi had looked death in the eye…

And flinched.

A first, being that his entire life from the day Obito died has been in preparation for death.

The only thing he had thought as those monsters had come in at him was that he shouldn't die yet.

He couldn't die yet.

"Kakashi? Back from your mission already?"

His visible eye shot up to the woman standing in the doorway and instantly she knew something wasn't right.

"What happened? Come on in."

Kakashi stepped into the small apartment and almost immediately took a seat at the table. Then he proceeded to slam his head into the table, leaving it there.

"That bad, huh?"

Kurenai set a cup of hot tea in front of him as he barely lifted his head.

"That bad."

"Care to talk about it?"

Kakashi sighed before sitting up, casually removing his mask, and drinking some tea. It was a common occurrence for Kurenai to see what was beyond Kakashi's mask. She had seen his face multiple times, but as of yet still refused to tell anyone about it.

"You'll find out soon enough, but to put it simply… Konoha is now surrounded by a force of ninja over four times or current strength."

The cup that had been in Kurenai's hands was suddenly on the ground in pieces.

"Wha… what?"

"Kumo to the south, Iwa to the north. Orochimaru and his demons with both."

"And… you ran into them?"

"We went south. Ran into a large group of those… things…"

"Are they that strong?"

"They are 'that strong'. To give the team a chance to get away I was forced to be a… distraction."

"Well, you obviously were a very good distraction."

"No, I wasn't."

"What do you mean?"

"I failed. If it wasn't for Sasuke, Ten-ten, and Choji I would have died. And again, if Naruto hadn't shown up against all odds all four of us would be gone. Dead."

Kurenai just looked across the table at the man she had come to love, her cup laying forgotten on the floor in pieces. He had almost died. No… he should be dead.

"But I didn't die." Kakashi continued sipping his tea. "The problem was that in those few moments I knew death had me… I just wanted to live."

"But that's normal…"

"Normal for normal people, not for me. Kurenai, I have never forgiven myself for Obito's death, and every day I use this eye it just burns my shame into my soul. I couldn't forgive myself… For the longest time I have been… desiring death. Not so much that I would seek it out or let it take me without a fight. But I prepare myself everyday at the memorial stone to be the next one written on it. Preparing myself… almost… hoping for it. But… that's changed."

"Wh… why?"

"Because I have something that is overriding the guilt from Obito's death now, and I didn't think of what it was until it was almost too late. I have something to live for, Kurenai."

"What?"

"You."

They sat across the table staring into each other's eyes for what seemed to be hours before Kurenai finally spoke.

"Does this mean you're burning the books?"

"Is that still the deal?"

"Hai."

"Fine."

"Kakashi… you're not just joking with me, right? You're being serious? This isn't the time for jokes…"

"Kurenai, I'm serious."

"Fine. It's a deal, then."

"Alright."

"Good."

"Good."

Silence again as Kakashi drank from his cup and Kurenai picked the pieces off the floor. Kakashi had to chuckle a bit as she cleaned the tea from the floor.

"What are you laughing at now?"

"I was just thinking… that was probably the most absurd engagement process I've ever heard of."

* * *

Shino Aburame stood amongst probably the largest collection of insects anyone in his clan had ever gathered. The swarm blocked out the sunlight around Shino for meters before thinning out. Millions of insects called Shino home even when some of them lived in special hives built to simulate the clan heir. And they all had something in common. They were Shino. And Shino was them.

Shino didn't even blink behind his shades as the mass swarmed out to consume and entire tree, retreating moments later when the tree's chakra was consumed. What had been a healthy tree moments ago was as dead and lifeless as Hanabi Hyuga, the sister of one of his teammates.

He had not forgotten.

Neither had his nest.

His insects buzzed louder as his thoughts grew agitated. The hive mind, once separate from Shino's mind, now had become one with Shino. He controlled fifteen different species of chakra eating insect and two non insect species directly and also had a summoning contract. But that was not his strength. His strength came in his connection to his insects. They were no less an arm or a leg then the ones attached to his torso. They were merely extra appendages now, waiting his minds command to act instantly.

_Konoha will win. I swear it. I will hold the Iwa ninja back until every last cell in my body is destroyed._

The bugs swirled ever more furiously, hungry for more than the chakra of a tree with Shino's lust for justice in their simple brains.

_We will win._

* * *

Jiraiya the toad sage stood leaning against a wall in the Hokage's office, waiting for her return. She had gone with her ANBU to gather every jonin in the city together for a call to arms. Jiraiya was very much tempted to go over to her desk and grab the half full sake bottle and down it.

"Shit."

"Yes, a whole big pile of it."

Jiraiya turned to see the Fifth Hokage walking in the door to take a seat at her desk.

"Tsunade-hime. It's good to see…"

"Shut your mouth, Jiraiya. What good is going to come about by seeing me now? We're out numbered, Jiraiya. Outnumbered and most likely outclassed."  
Tsunade beat him to the bottle and downed the rest in one gulp.

"Tsunade…"

"We have… what? Three thousand ninja in the city? Maybe?"

"Tsunade…"

"Yeah, and they have about ten gazillion monster thingies that can take an ANBU in one shot!"

"Tsunade."

"You know what else? I would be back in Paradise City if it wasn't for you and that brat, and the way things are turning out not only will both you die again but I'll die too!"

"Again?"

"KUSO!"

Tsunade threw the empty bottle against the wall in a fit of anger before slamming her head against the desk hard enough to crack it. Jiraiya had barely dodged the speedy projectile even with his ability. He was about to get Shizune to sober her sensei up when he heard something he had only heard three times in his entire life.

Tsunade's tears were spreading out from where her head was buried in her arms. Her body was racked with near silent sobs. And Jiraiya had no idea what to do. He had tried to console her after her brother and barely walked away alive. After Dan died… she hadn't even spoken to him before she had left the village.

"Tsunade…"

"WHAT? Can't you see I'm tired… damn pervert."

"Tsunade, I'm not going to die and neither will Naruto."

Silence.

"Tsunade…"

"That's what Dan said."

"I'm not Dan. I'm Jiraiya, the greatest sage since the beginning of time and one hell of an author."

Now he was just trying to cheer her up. Tsunade started to tune out before Jiraiya's voice suddenly changed from jovial to completely serious. Even… angry.

"I'm a bastard pervert who happens to enjoy peaking at women's baths and gallivanting around with young women because MY mind is consumed with what I lost only a year after you lost Dan! Or have you forgotten that Tokine died from wounds that should have been simple to heal _if you had been there_ or if she hadn't been pregnant with my SON! Maybe you want to wallow in your past like I've been doing for all these years, but I'm not going to let you! I know how much pain it is! I haven't moved on for decades, and I still can't. Every book I've ever written wasn't based off of any research I've done to keep my mind off of her, but based off of HER! Look, I can't replace Dan, and Naruto can't replace your brother, just like every woman I see can't replace Tokine and every child I see can't replace the son I should have had. So move on! You can't lead this city if you can't control yourself. Why do you think I rejected this job? I can't turn my back on the past, I'm not strong enough. You are, or were, or said you would be."

"Well what if I'm not strong enough either?"

"Don't you dare say that after all you've been through! What about Naruto?"

"What _about_ Naruto?"

"You said you got over the past when he brought you back. You said you had accepted it for the good of the city and him…"

"Well I CAN'T, ALRIGHT?"

Some time during their conversation their voices had gone from calm to yelling and they were now standing face to face with barely an inch between them. They stood like that with fire in their eyes, waiting for the other to flinch, for minutes.

"Hokage-sam…a?" Shizune entered to find the two face to face about to kill each other. The two broke eye contact a moment later and both looked very tired and Shizune saw for the first time the two sannin acting their age.

"Tsunade, you know what you need to do."

"Hai."

"Get it done at the counsel of war. Have you given thought as to who?"

"Who else?"

"I think it might be too soon, but I approve."

"Hokage-sama, the counsel of war has gathered and are waiting."

"I have made my decision. Besides… it's not like we're without precedent…"

* * *

The one tailed jinchuriki walked arm in arm with his fiancé down the streets of Konoha. Obviously the news hadn't gotten out yet about the enemies at their gates, or all of the shops would have been closed. Matsuri, the young woman Gaara had come to love, was looking around at all the sights, enthralled to be back in the first city she had been in after she had been freed.

By Gaara.

The pair munched on dango as they marched through the streets, receiving odd stares from everyone around them. The man who had almost destroyed the city three years ago and a beautiful girl in the same clothes as him looked like the ideal couple as they took a stroll. They passed by hundreds of civilians as they circled the village, watching the people go about their business as if their lives weren't going to be permanently changed in two days for better or worse.

It made Gaara angry.

It made Matsuri sad.

It made them both ready to fight.

"I think it is time to go to the counsel, Matsuri."

"I agree, Gaara. But…"

"What?"

"Let's make a promise, Gaara. We'll do this again sometime, right?"

The usual light in Matsuri's eyes had been replaced with worry. In order for Gaara to promise that, he must stay alive as well.

They both needed to.

"… hai."

"Good. Let's go then."

People were startled when the odd duo disappeared without a trace to the naked eye and were hopping along the rooftops of Konoha.

* * *

The counsel of war called in Konoha that day was the first of its kind since the creation of Konoha and the great clan wars before then. For the first time in decades every clan's head and elders were seated in the largest hall in the Hokage tower. Every jonin and most chunin were present and seated. The counsel of elders sat in a semi circle facing the attendees, with the Hokage at the podium in front of them. The counsel of elders contained some of the most influential citizens of Konoha to have ever lived. The leader of the counsel had been in charge for almost thirty years, and was the oldest living person in Konoha. The man had personally known the first and second Hokages and vowed to uphold their ideals, and had been doing so for years.

This was the first time since he had been and elder that the counsel had met like this. Not even the great ninja wars had made them resort to a massive meeting like this. It saddened the elder that this had to come to pass. To think that this once great city had finally come to the time of it's fall…

"Elders of the counsel, clan heads, elders of the clans, jonin and chunin of Konoha, I have news to bring you which will most likely end the war. Today we found out that an army of twenty thousand comes at us from both the North and the South. Kumo and Iwa have been emptied to end this war at our doorstep and crush us in one final blow after the failure at Suna. All of you knew about Iwa, but reports now show Kumo less then one day south of us. We can assume they will wait to attack until the dawn after Iwa's army arrives, giving us one day to prepare for an assault against forces that outnumber our own six to one. Even with the aid of our ally, Suna, and their extra ninja… the odds of us winning this battle without seriously damaging the city and significant loss of life are next to nil. Therefore, as my third to last act as Hokage…"

Before Tsunade got any further the room broke out into shouts of confusion. It took her literally banging the podium into the ground to get the crowd to quiet down.

"As I was saying, a list of ninja to help in the evacuation of the city to the underground tunnels will be posted in the mission assignment hall immediately after this meeting. All other ninja will have their job for preparation given there as well, as well as battle stations. My second to last task as Hokage is to coordinate this battle to the best of my ability. This battle will not be like the invasion of Kiri that was so successful. This army is at full strength and there will be no surprises for them. They will expect traps. They will expect us to fight to the end. They want us to. And as my last act as Hokage, not including conducting the battle to come, is to name a successor and explain why I must resign."

Now the entire room of a few hundred people seemed to lean forward and peer intently at the Hokage. Even the counsel had not known about this very confusing, very dangerous move. Changing leadership during war time must have a very good reason behind it. Only Jiraiya seemed calm, if slightly remorseful, leaning against a wall near the door.

"I can not perform this job to the best of my ability, and I believe it will be putting ninja and citizens in danger if I stay in office after this battle is over. Many had hoped that placing me in this role of responsibility would cause me to change what I had become and lead Konoha into a new age of prosperity brought by one of Konoha's own sennin. But I still gamble and get drunk daily. While I have not made many serious mistakes as Hokage yet… I feel as if this job was not meant for someone like me."

"Then, we assume, Jiraiya-sama will be taking over."

"Hell no." Jiraiya's voice carried over the crowd to the counsel of elders with firm resolve. "I would be worse then Orochimaru at that job… well… maybe not as bad as him…"

"No, my successor was chosen from the moment I became Hokage. When this war is over and I have trained him enough, I will hand over the position of Sixth Hokage of Konoha to Naruto Namikaze. I assume he will take over only a few years before his father did, in age. Naruto? You want to come up here?"

Silence filled the immense room, not one person making a noise.

"Naruto?"

"I don't think he's here, Hokage-sama."

"What the hell do you mean, he's not here? Every jonin in the city should be here."

"He told me to tell you he was sick, but I think he just went to get ramen with Hinata. After all…"

Hiashi smirked from his place in the front row.

"This is his birthday. The anniversary of the Kyuubi attack. Funny, though, how he missed hearing his own dream come true."

"Fine. I'll grant him that he deserves the break, but as punishment no one can tell him of his status as Hokage-in-training, got it?"

The entire room echoed with laughs and cries of osu and hai. The tension of impending doom relieved for a moment. Tsunade had to smile over her ninja who filled the massive room. Over four thousand Jonin and Chunin filled the seats of the auditorium and it seemed like they had all taken the announcement as if it had been expected, and none had started running around screaming in fear.

This is what they were trained for.

What they were alive for.

What they would die for.

But if the slight murderous intent coming from behind her was any indication, at least a few elders did not expect it and did not agree.

_I'll deal with them later._

"Alright then. Everyone get some sleep. Your orders take effect at exactly five in the morning tomorrow. Dismissed."

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki stood on the top of the greatest landmark in Konoha. He stood right on the very edge of the Hokage monument, inches from a hundred foot drop. His fiancé of sixteen years, to the day, sat next to him. In the light of the war not one person seemed to have remembered that today was the anniversary of the attack of the Kyuubi, let alone the day he had been born. Hell, not even Naruto had remembered.

Until Hinata had reminded him.

Naruto now had one very special kunai. A kunai just like all his others, except for the fact that it was made from the strongest alloy known in the ninja world. One gram of the metal would bankrupt some of the smaller kingdoms of the world. And this was a kunai made from it, with his own personal seal crafted into it. The kunai would easily destroy any weapon it crossed in a few blows. Now it was clenched tightly in his hand as he stared out over the city that had a large chance of being gone in two days.

"Hinata… I'm sorry for leaving you so suddenly at the counsel meeting."

"You had to, Naruto. I don't blame you."

Silence.

"Hinata… tomorrow will not go well. I have faith in this village and our allies but… I don't think victory will come easily, or even with a little difficulty. Tomorrow… we have a fairly large chance of losing."

"So?"

Hinata leaned up against him with her head on his shoulder.

"So… I don't want you to die."

"Arigato. I don't want you to die, either."

"You don't understa…"

"Naruto, if you're going to ask me to evacuate, tell me you'll cover for me as I cowardly escape, that you think it's for the best if at least one of us survives, I swear I'll push you off this massive stone head."

Naruto had been about to do just that, but shut up quickly.

"I know you mean well, Naruto, but I swore that when you came back I would never, ever, let something separate us again. Not even death, Naruto. If you die, this city will most likely fall, and I will probably die. But we'll be together in the afterlife. Don't separate me from you now or ever."

"I don't want you to die…"

"I know, you said that, so I won't if you don't. Ok?"

Naruto sighed. Part of him was glad that she would be with him in this battle, the other part was worried.

"I love you, Hinata. Too much sometimes."

"I love you too much all the time, Naruto. Promise me… when this is all done… that no matter what happens you and I will always be together. Ok?"

Naruto kissed his fiancé on her forehead. There was nothing he could say to his courageous wife-to-be.

"Hai."

* * *

The next morning came early and with the tension of an upcoming inevitable battle. The evacuation went smoothly and the civilians of the city were safely hundreds of meters underground by noon, leaving the ninja to prepare for the assault. The weapons manufacturers were working non stop preparing hundreds of kunai. Hundreds of expert sealers created thousands upon thousands of explosive tags of varied strengths, which were placed all around the city walls in key places. Buildings were destroyed to create choke points where ninja could be held off. Barricades were erected on rooftops and in the streets.

Gaara and Jiraiya went around the city creating pit traps filled with either boiling mud or spikes made from glass. Ninja gathered weapons into scrolls and pouches, retired ninja practiced old jutsu that hadn't been used in years. Insects from the Aburame clan patrolled the forests around the city for miles while the byakugan was used to keep watch over even further distances.

Naruto handed out thousands of scrolls, each with a hundred special kunai in them, to jonin around the city. His grip never leaving the kunai Hinata had given him.

By evening the defenses of the city were better then they had been since the Oto invasion years earlier. Shikamaru couldn't even think of another idea that would create a significant benefit to the Konoha ninja. Konoha would be given every chance and benefit to survive this war.

But would it be enough?

With the night came a gentle wind, one that brought a feeling of peace to the doomed city. Every ninja slept lightly that night.

For with morning, death would come.

* * *

AN: And the last chapter will come as well...


	38. The Legend

It's been a long haul, folks. And this story has finally reached the climax. To those who have followed me from the beginning, thanks and sorry for the long waits near the end. I switched schools and majors after a mid-college-life crisis. I'm much happier now, if you care to know, but I haven't had the time to write recently. Or update, for that matter, because fan-fiction is no longer accessible from my computer.

Sorry for the wait, again.

If you want more of my stories I have some finished one shots online, two of which I like a lot, one which I should alter the organization of to make it more understandable. I have Chaos, which I will be updating soon. Harry Potter is discontinued because I don't like the Harry Hermione shipping anymore, more a Harry/Luna now. I'll take it down when I have time. Zelda and Star Wars will also be updating, now that I have two more chapters for each written. Alright, that sums it up pretty well.

I am happy to say I loved every minute of this story's production and was proud to be its author, but I don't own anything. I don't think a sequel is going to be made, so get your fill by reading it all over again. I know I have. Now, on to the final chapter.

* * *

Final Chapter: The Legend

* * *

Within every generation of humans there will always be a select few, a hundred or so, that will stand above the rest. More successful and famous then any around them. They are called famous. Every hundred years or so a smaller amount, maybe ten, will become figures of world renown. Rising above the rest of humanity before and after them in such a way as to never be forgotten. They are called heroes and heroines.

But then there is even a rarer occurrence.

Every thousand years or so a man or woman will rise above the rest, even above humanity itself.

More then a figure of world renown.

And become more than a human.

Once in a thousand years a man becomes a legend.

* * *

"Hokage-sama, the scouts have returned. The forces of Iwa and Kumo are starting to stir. They predicted only a few minutes before they are ready for a full on attack."

"Sound the signal."

The city of Konoha stood like a fortress in the sea of trees in the Land of Fire. And, like most fortresses, it was heavily guarded. Ninja stood on every wall, eyes pealed for their enemy that they knew would come. The interior stood almost empty, with only a few places having any signs of life at all. Suddenly the calm of the early morning was shattered. A warning siren blared over the town, instantly alerting every able bodied ninja that the enemy was on the move.

The Northern wall was coated in ninja, all with a vendetta against the village of the Iwa ninja. The Aburame clan swirled with insects, each as emotionless and strong as the very walls they stood on. In the early morning shadows of the walls the Nara clan waited in ambush, each ready to use their body and shadow to enact harsh judgment on the invaders. Akimichi clan members quickly ate nutrition bars, saving their soldier pills for the fight to come and storing as much energy as possible. The few members of the Yamanaka clan that were ninja stood with them, ready to tear their opponent's minds apart. Ninja of all names and families filled the wall as well, each ready to fight their hardest.

Every one ready to perish for their city.

The West wall was less guarded, only having a spattering of ninja ready to defend. In the middle of the wall stood the man many thought of as the second greatest ninja to come from the city. Jiraiya, the toad sage and sannin of Konoha, stood ready to end the war. In one way or another.

The East wall was similarly guarded, only a few ninja and one special ninja were ready to meet the invaders. Tsunade, the Hokage of Konoha, stood with her arms across her ample chest, her body ready for what might be her final fight.

The Southern wall was covered in glassy eyed ninja, many with veins bulging from their enhanced bloodline. The Hyuga clan stood at attention, each one ready to use their eyes against the eyes of their most hated enemies. This wall was as heavily guarded as the North wall, the ninja dogs of the Inuzuka clan guarding with the Hyuga. The last remaining Uchiha stood as well, ready to meet and defeat death with his bride-to-be at his side. Rock Lee stood next to his one time eternal rival, Neji Hyuga. He was jumping in place to get his muscles warmed up, while Neji merely stared into the trees with all seeing eyes.

"Naruto…"

"They come…"

"Hai…"

The second coming of the yellow flash stood with his flame trimmed coat on the very edge of the wall that was wide enough for twenty to walk abroad on. His face showed none of the mirth commonly found on it. His own orders had made it possible to stand on this wall instead of the North wall, the wall facing Iwa's forces. On one side of him stood his adopted father, Hiashi Hyuga, the leader of the Hyuga and master of the Juken. On his other side stood the woman that would be his wife.

If they made it though this.

The Hyuga on the line tensed, the ninja dogs immediately growled, realizing the same thing. A giant hound growled before letting out a bark that reverberated down the line. Ninja drew weapons and began hand signs. A whistling of the wind in the trees. A sudden brushing of foreign material on plant. Then, before someone could say a word, the battle was joined.

* * *

Naruto had already tossed his weights by the time the alarm had rang. He was now free to move. And move he did.

The first second of the fight had nearly a hundred of the cursed monsters jumping completely over the southern wall in one leap. It only took instants for the killing to start. One of the monsters had a fire jutsu already prepared and incinerated two Hyuga in its first attack, but soon found its head removed from its shoulders by a katana wielded by Ten-ten. She was nearly killed instants later by a second monster using its clawed hand as a sword, but its arm fell to the ground only moments before its entire body collapsed. Sasuke stood above the carcass. If there was one thing Konoha had over her opponents it was teamwork.

The North wall was facing the same initial onslaught. Hundreds of monsters poured over the walls causing massive casualties. One would jump up and use its wings to block incoming weapons and, when it landed, would literally split people in half with one massive swing of its webbed wings. But Konoha fought back. Naruto had killed the first monster near his position before it had cleared the wall, after which he immediately jumped directly into another monster that was trying to jump over the wall and, after impaling its heart on his kunai, jumping off of it while still in midair, to the next monster. The one he launched from collided in mid air with another, the explosive tag left on his chest destroying them both.

The Aburame were enjoying a hard earned feast. The monsters had no previous experience of chakra consuming bugs, and most either didn't notice or didn't take the time to care about the small insects that would cover them in swarms. Either way, the area guarded by the Aburame clan was the most successful in the early stages of the fight. It was only moments, though, before Iwa's forces brought up their own insect users. Chakra devouring insects mixed with wasps, bees, and hornets, each side taking a serious toll on the other in insect deaths. Some Aburame would find themselves completely without insects after a time and would resort to rusty weapons techniques. They didn't last long.

Near inhuman speed was necessary to fight in close combat with the monsters that still poured over the walls. Many ninja found out the hard way that they were just not quick enough, and found an arm protruding through their chest instants after that realization. Some though, like Might Gai and Rock Lee, showed exactly how strong a normal human could be. Rock Lee had his massive weights in his hand and was using them to literally blast monsters out of the air as they dropped to the wall. One hit from his weapon generally caused the entire torso of the cursed being to collapse, or a few limbs to be taken off. Might Gai, on the other hand, literally ran circles around monsters before crushing their skulls into the ground with a kick.

The Hyugas were doing quite poorly against the monsters, being that their style of fighting required close quarters and over powering speed. Most Hyuga couldn't even comprehend the speed of the monsters facing them, and the only thing they could do was either die or do a weak kaiten. Some, luckily, were standing near Hiashi and Hinata. They were witness to one of the greatest father daughter teams in Konoha history. Hinata would use her Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho to sever limbs, heads, wings, and various other important body parts from monsters while her father finished them off with juken. When ever a monster came too close to Hinata, Hiashi would activate his 64 palms and the monster would find itself very, very dead. Only a few actually noticed that both pairs of eyes had Byakugan activated.

The East and West walls were under almost no assault at all. The few monsters that dared step on the top were soon killed by the jonin, special jonin, and sannin.

But their victories mattered little as the North and South began to be overwhelmed.

Monsters poured over the walls endlessly, each monster being taken out, but the toll was being taken on Konoha's forces. Each monster could take out at least one ninja before it was destroyed, and the numbers were just getting worse for Konoha.

Luckily, though, numbers don't matter as much in ninja wars.

A sweeping lightning katana cut through two monsters, spilling their blood and insides to the top of the wall, and two more were taken out with senbon straight through their eyes into their brains. Sasuke and Ten-ten were ready. They had fought these monsters before and had gotten used to their movements more then others had. They traveled the lines of the South wall slaughtering monsters getting the upper hand over Konoha ninja. Rock Lee did the same. Ninja dogs and their masters caused great gapping wounds in the monsters before getting killed or wounded by the retribution of the cursed ones that could barely feel the pain. One monster was seen taking a massive chuck of a man's neck out with its teeth even when both of its arms had been ripped from its body. Another looked like it should have died ages ago, with its ribs showing from massive cuts, but it fought on long enough to break the knee of another ninja.

The North wall was doing only slightly better. The monsters had quickly learned that the insects and their users were threats, and soon targeted the Aburame with fire and wind jutsu, wiping whole species of bugs from the world. Shino's father, the head of the clan, died instantly from a Ryuuka no jutsu, and many other members of his clan were finding themselves defenseless.

Shino himself was wondering when Naruto would put the next phase of the plan into effect.

Hopefully before it was too late.

Then it happened.

A massive firework blew over the city, the signal for a retreat into the city. At that moment Naruto Uzumaki used Hiraishin along the entire South wall to clear monsters from the immediate area to allow his troops to retreat towards the reinforced areas. At the same time Neji Hyuga set off hundreds of explosive notes he had hidden under a layer of wood on the outside of the wall. All the monsters coming up the wall at that moment were shredded by pieces of wood the size of their arms. The second the last Konoha ninja was off the wall another set of explosives was set off, incendiary notes that caught the top of the wall on fire instantly.

The walls of Konoha had been taken.

* * *

The East and West walls had been instantly abandoned and before the enemy could send another wave most of the ninja were in their positions for the second phase of their defense.

Then the gate blew.

A massive power surge, though not caused by explosive, came from the North gate instants before it was not only blown off its hinges, but over a hundred meters into the city crushing builings as it went. An impressive distance for such heavy doors. The forces of Iwa came pouring forward, mostly consisting of humans now that the monsters had been used taking the walls. The Southern gate was similarly destroyed, but instead of flying off its hinges, it was cut into hundreds of pieces in seconds. The forces of Kumo poured through the broken gate.

Only to have the entire first wave of over a hundred ninja run straight into a dust covered boiling pit of mud where they met horrible slow deaths of drowning and burning in the near molten mud.

The forces of Iwa soon found themselves in a similar problem, when their first wave fell into a series of pits that had diamond hard spikes at the bottom. Many ninja lived for hours stuck on the pointed sand at the bottom before dieing of blood loss. The Iwa forces stalled for only a moment to regroup and prepare for traps.

Those few seconds were all that Gaara needed.

A massive power surge came from in front of the advancing forces of Iwa. They had just enough time to see a huge glow of chakra surrounding a person before a massive wall of sand blocked him from view and began advancing on them at a rate way to fast for sand, similar to a wave of water. The very walls that had Iwa had taken moments ago were there undoing as nearly a thousand Iwa ninja and monsters were crushed against the walls of Konoha.

On the South, a similar trap was sprung by the water and electric jutsu experts of Konoha. Hundreds of water jutsus fueled by the stores of water collected the day before burst from hidden reservoirs and towards the advancing Iwa. Almost the instant they were on their way multiple electric jutsu hit the huge amount of water.

Instant high explosives.

The wave of electrifying water hit the oncoming ninja, only a few dodging or blocking, but none were able to escape unscathed when a lone fireball lit the entire area up using the concentrated oxygen created from the electrifying water.

Sadly, many Konoha ninja were also caught in the explosion.

The wave crashed into the walls of Konoha with hundreds of charred corpses floating with it.

The near limitless amount of enemies burst from the now lifeless water as it drained from the gate and they continued to advance.

The North side of Konoha had become a battle ground of both ninja and summons. Frogs and Slugs, as the Hokage had joined the Northern front, fought side by side with Konoha ninja against Iwa ninja, cursed beings, and the occasional snake summon. Acid and oil fried the enemies of Konoha while poison took its toll on her allies. The Southern front was filled with ninja of all kinds, fighting and dieing for their goals. All of the ninja were fighting their hardest, many to just be instantly killed from behind when a enemy would get a chance to be behind them, and not live to see the very one that killed them die moments later in a similar state of unknowing.

And Konoha was losing ground.

Slowly Konoha forces were pushed back as many fell in battle. A chunin would die making hand signs for a jutsu. A jonin would die from poisoned kunai. An ANBU would be cut in half from a massive blade. A genin would be distracted by his teammate's head being removed and find his legs following the same path. Despite the toll the ninja of the leaf were imposing on their enemies, they were being pushed back and killed by the hundreds. With enemy death tolls unknown, Konoha was down over a thousand ninja, nearly two.

Less then two thousand remained alive, and many were injured or running low on chakra.

Kumo, most of their monsters dead, fought with fresh ninja that just entered the battle. Though they might have not been as strong as a Konoha ninja, they were going against tired and battle weary ninja.

Konoha was being pushed back.

Towards the tower.

And the Monument.

The dead littered the streets as the battle moved towards the center of the city. Ninja from both sides were left for dead, mostly from Kumo and Iwa, and corpses cried out in pain not comprehending their own deaths.

Konoha was being pushed back.

Then, faster then the enemy could comprehend, the tide turned again. The wave of sand that had covered most of the Northern city started to move again. The meters of sand that coated the entire Northern battle field was filled with movement. In only a moment hundreds of Iwa ninja that had been engaged in fighting Konoha ninja fell to the ninja of Suna. Hidden safely in Gaara's jutsu they had waited patiently for a signal. When it had come they had picked their targets and dragged them down into the sand.

The sand was soon soaked with the blood of Iwa.

From the sand came hundreds of Suna ninja, each with a jutsu being yelled from their lungs. A massive scything wind blew over the sand, cutting many ninja in half where they stood. Several puppets were seen doing a dance of death with their puppeteers in the shadows of ruined buildings or some under the sand. The sand itself would drag enemies down by the dozens to crush their legs to a bloody pulp.

Iwa's advance was stalled for the moment.

Kumo, on the other hand, kept pressing forward. They had thwarted the traps set for them, pushed through choke points that had been meant to hold them, and killed all who stood in their way.

A single ninja led them, a ninja with a sword that cut through the masses of Konoha ninja like they were academy students.

His forces were coming up to an area of the city that had been prepared with no traps or tricks. What had once been a lively market area was now an empty paved circular area hundreds of feet across.

It was a battle ground, designed into the battle plan for one purpose.

It was here that Naruto Uzumaki would take a stand.

* * *

The army of Kumo sprinted at full speed behind their kage and along the roof tops behind, surprised at the lack of resistance for the last hundred or so yards. Many could see the nearly empty square up ahead, and were about to jump into it and secure the area when their leader stopped instantly and made the motion for them too as well.

The Raikage stepped into the massive ring with his sword in his hand.

Naruto Uzumaki stood on the other side of the circle, a single kunai in his hand.

"Well, well, well… if it isn't the yellow flash. Reborn."

The insanity in the Raikage's voice was clear to Naruto. His eyes were very similar to Gaara's before his demon had been sealed. But this man contained no demon, the insanity was entirely his. Naruto had neither the time or patience to try to change him as he had changed Gaara, and he doubted that it had any chance of working. This would be a fight to the death and nothing less then his opponents life being ended would be acceptabe.

"Uzumaki Naruto is my name."

"I assume you want to fight me… boy." The Raikage smiled insanely, and his hideous chuckle was all Naruto needed to know his lack of a name was intentional.

But Naruto only nodded, determined to not be phased. Anger induced distractions would not help him. Even so, The deranged smile on the kage of Kumo, coupled with the power he felt radiating off of him, was giving him the shivers. He wasn't human, and yet it had to be. He sensed no demonic presense at all.

_The man has enough chakra to match me with one or two tails…_

"Well then, let's begin. I'll even order my ninja to stay out of it."

Naruto only nodded again, but inwardly smiled.

_Fool._

Their muscles tensed in unison, and instantly they had crossed the distance to each other, the kunai colliding with the metal of the sword. The extra long katana forced the kunai down and nicked Naruto's shoulder before he pushed the sword back. Little did he know that if he had used any other blade he owned he would have merely impaled himself on the sword of the kage. As it was, the sword was made of the same material his special kunai from Hinata had been made of. It would have cleaved through his other kunai instantly, and his bones quicker.

He had been distracted by those eyes again. The enemy he was facing showed no signs of sanity at all. His smile has large and creepy and his eyes were too far open to be natural.

Before he had time to think the kage had already charged his fist with lightning and punched him back across the field. The pain was excruciating.

But Naruto had precedent.

One tail emerged from his back instantly before he appeared directly above the kage in mid jump with his kunai in a reverse grip to stab into the man's neck.

Blocked.

The kage's face was only inches from Naruto and Naruto's kunai was hovering only millimeters from the man's face, held back by the sheath of the katana.

The sheath.

Naruto quickly dropped, letting go of his kunai, just in time to miss a sweep of the blade that could have easily cut him in half. He caught the kunai before it fell and swept his own blade at the kage's legs, only to watch them leap out of range.

Perfect.

Naruto jumped after him, their blades colliding in mid air. Naruto drew his blade back and attacked again, faster. The kage merely smiled and blocked. Again, blocked. Again, blocked. To the on lookers it appeared as if the two rising ninja were moving their arms and weapons too fast to see. Finally their blades locked and Naruto was able to land and unsuspected punch into the kage's face, throwing him into a building's side.

Two tails.

Naruto didn't even have time to land before he was forced to block a stab from the sword. The force of the block pushed him back, not even allowing him to land as he blocked more and more attacks. Soon he was against a wall feet in the air, blocking for his life before he managed to kick the side of his opponents blade and throw his kunai at the man's chest.

Blocked.

The kunai went spinning behind the kage as the man drew his blade back for one more attack.

And stabbed it hilt deep into the wall.

Naruto was behind him and kicking him in his side, throwing him across the battlefield again, this time without his sword.

Naruto didn't have time for celebration. Out of the rubble of the hole where his opponent landed came a massive water dragon, twice the size of a normal Suiryudan no Jutsu, that he was forced to quickly block with his strongest earth wall. It nearly collapsed, and when the dragon had finished its attack, the kage was drawing his sword from the wall he had buried it in and wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth.

Three tails.

"That…"

Naruto wouldn't give him a chance to speak. The kage was forced to block as a Naruto, faster then before, attacked with even more ferocity.

Through his deranged brain, the kage was still able to notice that there was a more feral edge to Naruto's attack then before. His stance was lower, his attacks were more like the sweeps of an animal's claws then a ninja's kunai. And his eyes…

Oh, how he loved those eyes.

Like looking in a mirror.

But the kage kept up, he was, after all, the leader of Kumo for good reason. His blade was sharper and stronger than any other in the ninja world, and he was the fastest with a katana as well. That made him a deadly combo of skill and equipment.

Naruto's vision was slowly hazing over red as the battle went on, as it usually did when he used demonic chakra. He fought with instinct at this point. His kunai was holding its own against the katana master, and their speeds seemed evenly matched.

It was all down to who was the better ninja, now.

The kage took a few jumps to get a fair distance from Naruto, but was surprised when Naruto followed on all fours, his elongated nails digging into the ground and propelling him forward faster then even the kage could run. Naruto swept his open fist at his landing opponent's neck and missed, but the chakra surrounding his hand still threw the ninja through the air. Naruto noticed that the ninja that had been cheering for their leader were now silent and watching in nervousness. It was likely that no one had ever seen their kage even get hit.

Naruto smirked, his now pointed teeth giving him a ferocious grin.

The kage came out of his spin through the air on his feet, but his smile was gone and a small line of blood ran from his scalp down his face. Before Naruto had a moment to grasp the kage's change in attitude he was facing a second water dragon, which he blocked in the same way.

"Gotcha."

Naruto was still holding his wall against the dragon when he heard those whispered words in his ear.

_Behind me!_

Instantly Naruto was spinning around, but even the chakra shroud around him couldn't slow the katana down enough for it to not hit him at all. The sword went clean though Naruto's left shoulder. In retaliation Naruto threw a slew of kunai and shurikin at the kage, and in his surprise at not having killed the jinchuriki he was hit by one. Naruto kicked the man back and punched him in the face before jumping back a ways.

The kage, though bleeding, had the smile on his face again. His sword was lodged in Naruto's shoulder blade and causing a whole lot of pain, and Naruto's blade had only barely pierced his flak jacket.

"Looks like the end for you, boy. If Konoha has any real ninja to fight, they should send them now. I mean, its not like you're anything but a bastard demon container. Of course you would be strong. But you couldn't stand up to a real ninja…"

"Those were some pathetic last words."

The kage smirked and pulled Naruto's kunai out of his jacket and held it in his hand.

It was Naruto's time to smirk.

And act.

There was a flash of light and everyone watching the fight couldn't see exactly what happened, but the aftermath was all one needed to see.

Naruto was directly in front of the kage, the kunai he had been holding the entire time was lodged in the Raikage's gut, the kunai he had hit the kage with was lodged in the kage's forehead. And the Raikage's sword was stuck completely through his own heart.

"I am more than a demon container."

Naruto turned to see the army of Kumo watching and preparing to attack. With a snap of his fingers the early morning shadows on the Konoha side of the open area were suddenly filled with ninja, each ready to continue the attack. Naruto had bought them enough time. Jiraiya stood at the head of the group of ninja, as his toads were intermittently spread out throughout the battle group.

Four tails.

Naruto roared. No shout of charge or cry of battle. Naruto let out a roar that seemed to crack the very pavement around him. Konoha charged.

The battle in the South was joined again.

* * *

On the North wall of Konoha, almost half a mile from the battle front, stood two figures. One was obviously the Tsuchikage, but the other was less recognizable.

"So… he died."

"**Fool.**"

"It was inevitable. I had planned on it. It did happen much sooner then I would have guessed. The battle is not going as well as I would have it."

"…"

"I will assist my ninja in their assault. Someone needs to be able to kill the superior ninja of the enemy."

"**Fine. I will wait.**"

The Tsuchikage disappeared, his partner left brooding on the wall.

_The time is almost upon us. Soon Konoha will be crushed under my foot. Soon…_

* * *

Shikamaru stood nearly hidden in the shadows of a broken building taking out every ninja that came within the shadow of his building.

"Shadow Sewing."

Another Iwa ninja fell pierced through the heart. Across the street he could see his best friend, Choji, using oversized fists to pound enemies to a pulp. Behind him, he knew, his girlfriend and her village's ninja laid in wait. Another trap. They were getting dangerously close to the entrances of the underground catacombs and the makeshift hospital set inside and near the entrance of it. Many of his friends and family were there already, and he was determined, more so then ever in his life, to not let Iwa reach his friends.

The Suna ninja had been forced to retreat earlier then planned when the last of the monsters and various other ninja started using fire jutsu on the sand.

Shikamaru shuddered at the thought of the clean-up. Some unlucky worker from the winning village would find a Suna ninja half charred to death suspended in glass. More then a few, actually.

He only had a moment to reflect on this before a steel plated glove came from nowhere and backhanded him across the street and into Choji and unconsciousness.

Gaara, standing only a few meters away, saw the blur that had quite nearly broken his sister's significant other's neck and instantly had sand at the man's feet.

And was shocked to find that the man broke free.

He only barely registered the fist coming towards his head, and only then because he had trained for three years with Naruto. Rock hard sand came up and blocked the punch, and another to the back of his head.

Gaara instinctively went into a sand cocoon. He hadn't fought a ninja at that speed in years.

But it was only a man he was facing.

Gaara started absorbing some of his demon's power and channeling it into the massive quantities of sand around him, within moments he could see everything around him as if he had fifty eyes.

Which he did.

The ninja attacking him was old, older then he had ever seen a ninja except maybe the Third Hokage. And fast. And strong. The uniform would imply at least an ANBU ranking. Gaara knew within a moment that he was looking at the Tsuchikage.

He smiled.

Tendrils of sand shot from his cocoon faster than any kunai could ever had and infinitely more unpredictable. The man seemed to flicker as he dodged the hardened spikes coming at him from all directions, the sand he walked on and the sand of Gaara's orb. Soon Gaara was wondering if the man was a mind reader, as he couldn't seem to get a hit, even when he was sending deadly projectiles from nearly every square inch of the hundred so meters around him. Dozens of Iwa ninja passing by were cut to shreds instantly by his barrage, but the kage was not even breathing hard.

Gaara drew more chakra from his reserves and his demon.

Soon the very sand that comprised the battlefield rose up and shifted around before closing in on the kage surrounding him completely. But as it closed over him, he was gone and on the other side of the area, safe and sound. A fire jutsu came from his mouth, but was blocked by a sand wall that turned to glass moments later. Gaara was getting nowhere quickly and the kage just smiled like he was toying with him.

Gaara smiled back, through the impenetrable cocoon.

His eyes were begining to glow yellow.

His barrage stopped. And with it, the kage stopped as well.

Gaara was starting to sweat but on the outside of his cocoon there was no change. The kage, on the other hand, was feeling the increase in chakra. He got ready to finish the brat as soon as the sand demon ran out of chakra.

The Tsuchikage was the most experienced ninja in all of the elemental countries. He was a veteran of countless battles, missions, and at least three ninja wars. In his old age, over fifty, he fought off over three hundred young ninja attempting to usurp his leadership. Not once has he lost. Not once has he been grievously injured. His speed and perception are superhuman, better than any ninja except for maybe one Uchiha.

But in all of his experiences he had never fought Gaara.

The Tsuchikage noticed something was wrong when his vision started to get less clear than usual. He blinked. Twice.

No change.

His mouth started getting dry. He swallowed.

The air around him was starting to feel… heavy.

The lord of earth was too late to figure it out.

It only took a moment for his vision to cloud even more, and in seconds he couldn't keep them open any longer. The air around him was his enemy and his captor. Tons of tiny grains of sand filled the air, thrown and controlled by Gaara. They were forcing themselves down his throat and his nose. They were in his ears and eyes. He jumped, but was dragged down by the tentacles of sand that had grabbed him in his blindness. Clinging to him and forcing him to his knees.

His eyes and feet were taken away and his reign was put to an end.

Sand poured over him completely, leaving no trace of him but a lump in the sand. Gaara in his cocoon clenched a fist.

The sand around the kage of stone clenched with it.

_Good._

Gaara's cocoon collapsed moments later, his chakra spent.

A few ninja were there to catch him, having seen the Tsuchikage fall. Matsuri and Kankuro helped him back towards the hospital as Temari and Choji helped Shikamaru the same way.

* * *

Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Naruto all stood atop the Hokage's tower watching the battle play out. Naruto had calmed down and the counter assault on Kumo was going very well while Iwa was being held off much better.

It looked like a route in Konoha's favor.

Both kage's of the attackers had been killed and Orochimaru hadn't even bothered to show his disgusting head, and Naruto was quite pleased with the progression of the battle. His own forces covered the streets, still thousands strong, while his enemies were dwindling. The amount of ninja was almost even, and if the kill ration stayed true to the end then Konoha would come out utterly victorious.

"It was a good plan, Naruto."

"Mostly Shikamaru and Jiraiya, but I did do a little of it. It really helped with the mind link, I was able to go wherever I was most needed instantly. I'm glad I created it."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get so cocky. Lets get back out there. Jiraiya, you have the Kumo front. I'll get Iwa."

"And I'll get…"

Suddenly, out of seemingly nowhere, an explosion the size of a city block blew the entire Iwa front apart. Allies and enemies and buildings went flying everywhere. The three ninja froze as the eruption fried hundreds of ninja from both sides.

"I'll go there. Keep everyone away."

Naruto already had thrown a kunai and was at the scene in instants. Smoke filled the air and bodies, lifeless and some dieing littered the ground. Naruto saw no one he noticed, suddenly felt a strange and horrible presence.

_**Orochimaru!**_

_Behind me!_

Naruto spun quickly, but not quick enough.

A clawed hand pierced his side, going clear through before pulling out at a speed that sent Naruto spinning to the ground. Instant blinding pain. The gash in his side started to heal, but a clawed foot came from nowhere and kicked him high into the air and out of the smoke, each claw piercing him again. Naruto tried to gain some control, enough to Hiraishin to one of the main kunai strew about the battlefield, but then he glimpsed his opponent.

Following him out of the smoke was a glassy eyed beast over three meters tall. Its hand-like wings stretched twice the length other monsters did and each clawed tip dripped with black puss that just screamed poison. Its claws, both hands and feet, were covered in his own blood and his mouth was dripping with someone else's.

But the eyes… besides being Byakugan eyes… seemed to have a single slit down the middle. Or it was just his imagination, but those eyes were wihtout a doubt the eyes of Orochimaru.

Naruto managed to spin in midair and block the attack coming from the monster, only to feel his bones crack from the overhand chop the beast did. Naruto was flung into the pavement below, still unable to retaliate. And then he heard it speak.

"**Fool. You thought you could defeat my invasion! My invasion has only begun! And it's an invasion of ONE!**"

The beast grabbed Naruto out of the hole in the road he had made. Naruto gave it a kick to its ribs that would have shattered a normal ninja's ribs, but Naruto just ended up possibly breaking his foot.

"**You know why I went with the Raikage and Tsuchikage? Because they had power and wealth. Enough for me to accomplish my goals. I started this war knowing they would die, and who better to assume their roles then me?**"

Naruto pulled his special kunai from his pouch and stabbed it into the arm of the beast. Orochimaru let out an unearthly roar before throwing Naruto into a building. His side still bled, his upper arm was broken, and his foot was wounded, and Naruto couldn't move.

"**And now my life long goal is finally within my reach. Soon I'll have all of the elemental nation's wealth, resources, and people to use for gaining immortality. I really have you to thank, Naruto.**"

Naruto tried to get up from the rubble he was in, but he couldn't even move. He felt his bones mending and his side sewing shut, but he still couldn't get up. A shadow appeared in the smoke above him.

"**You see, Naruto. If it wasn't for your destruction of my Lighting Base, they would have never let me start the other installations all over Rock and Lightning. And my army wouldn't have been ready for years to come. Now I have the ultimate body, and once you are gone I will finally wipe this pathetic little town off the map. Even if my entire army dies, I won't. Not one ninja can match me here. Not even you. Now that your top ninja have wasted their precious, limited, chakra on summons and fighting the late kages I will slaughter them all without trouble.**"

Naruto felt his head get palmed by an enormous clawed hand and watched the claws come over his face and the edge of the massive palm cover his eyes. He knew he had to move, but he couldn't. The claws dug into the lower part of his neck, and Naruto couldn't understand how he could go completely numb and be so full of pain at the same time.

"**It's no use, Naruto-kun. The poison this body naturally secretes on its claws guarantees temporary paralysis, but not painlessness. Perfect for torture. But don't worry. This is not the body I will use as this world's lord. In this entire village the only one I will grant that honor to is you, Naruto-kun.**"

The beasts head suddenly came foreward, chakra visibly gathering in its teeth, and prepared to mark Naruto as his own.

"No!"

A loud clear voice pierced through the smoke and heat left by Orochimaru's original attack. Orochimaru, so focused on Naruto, had released his Byakugan.

And his attacker had not.

Orochimaru screamed and threw Naruto again, but less controlled this time. Naruto landed on his side with his face towards his enemy and his savior.

Hinata Hyuga stood in her own style's ready stance, prepared to attack the monster twice her height. She had already struck his arm by the way he was carrying it.

"How DARE you! Water Style: Boiling Geyser Jutsu!"

Naruto was surprised that the words were coming from Hinata's mouth and not Orochimaru's. He wanted to shout to her to stay back, to get away, that he was too much for her or anyone.

But he couldn't move.

Instead he watched her attack hit the monster directly. The earth cracked open and an enormous amount of water came boiling forth, completely surrounding Orochimaru and blocking him from view. The Geyser kept up as Hinata kept her hands to the ground. She held the jutsu for over ten seconds before she broke it off while panting.

Nothing was left.

Just a hole where the water had come from.

Until the winged beast flying out of the same hole. Steaming but unharmed in any way.

_Kyuubi! Get me moving!_

_**This poison is strong! What do you want me to do? Magic?**_

_Yes, damn it! Do something! Hinata's going to…_

_**Shut up, baka! I'm working on it...**_

Naruto could only watch as Hinata and Orochimaru went at it. Her speed was impressive, even to Naruto, but it didn't come close to the speed of the cursed seal enhanced Orochimaru. All her attacks weren't just blocked, but blocked so that not even the chakra that she used in her altered juken hit. He was playing with her. She would send a strike faster then Naruto could see and he would catch her hand by the wrist, divert it, and then let it go again.

"Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho!"

Hinata went into her personal defensive attack, but Orochimaru just appeared to stand there as he dodged her attacks like they were traveling slower then snails, not faster then the eye could possibly follow and invisible to everyone except the Byakugan.

Naruto suddenly felt chakra flooding his system. The demon inside of him was trying to get out.

_Baka kitsune! What are you doing?_

_**Saving our ass**__**! Give me control!**_

Naruto had no other choice. He felt in the chakra that this was not the ordinary five or six tails. Hinata was about to lose.

Kyuubi was going to go all out.

And Naruto had no idea what that would do. He didn't have a chance to postulate, though, as the moment he conceded to the demon inside his mind went blank.

* * *

Orochimaru stood in front of the panting Hyuga laughing maniacally. She had almost no chakra left after holding that move for only a few moments. He had no idea that she had been using it for hours of the battle, but that mattered little now.

He was about to finish her off when he felt a presence he hadn't felt in years from behind him.

_**Not possible…**_

Orochimaru spun to see Naruto Uzumaki standing up, his hands now clawed, his whisker marks now defined, and his eyes now red and slit down the middle. And power in its most raw form bursting out of him, throwing his cloak around and even debris away from him. The ground around him was cracking and pieces of earth the size of fists began raising into the air. All around the city every battle had stopped. Lower level ninja couldn't even move. Killing intent greater then any human could possibly muster was coming from somewhere close. Some enemy ninja just retreated and ran away, as did some Konoha ninja.

But no one fought on.

"**Orochimaru. It's been a long time. Sixteen years nearly to the day, actually. Its good to see the man who's idea brought me to this world again.**"

Though his words were calm, his voice was not. The hatred and anger coming off of Naruto, combined with the chakra that had now formed four tails and was increasing in darkness, showed the complete sarcasm in his words. Anyone who knew Naruto realized that it was not his voice at all coming from his body. The chakra distorted the sound so much it sounded two octaves lower. Orochimaru couldn't even respond. The chakra shroud was growing and it was soon twice the size of Orochimaru. It was soon completely red and opaque, and was becoming even more fox-like.

Orochimaru was too stunned to speak, but he could act. The ever enlarging chakra swept out in the shape of a massive claw, but Orochimaru dodged it easily at the speed it traveled.

The ground it touched turned molten.

Orochimaru pulled a blade from his mouth before jumping at the fox.

It merely slid from the chakra hide.

He jumped back a few paces to prepare a jutsu.

"**I know what you want to say. You want to tell me that it was Madara, not you, who summoned me. But I knew it was your idea. Your plan to eventually wipe out all of the elemental nations in a bloodbath so you might gain immortality. I know… and now I get to finally destroy the one who is truely responsible for trapping me in this body!**"

The fox, for that is what it now was, was the roughly half the size of the original Kyuubi. It was solid chakra with only Naruto at its core, not even visible. The massive fox head lifted itself into the air and shouted to the whole city.

"**You FOOLS! You thought I was you enemy, the one who slaughtered your families and friends. But the true enemy was in your walls, deceiving you as you watched in naïve silence! You blamed my container for your troubles and, in your ignorance, you let the one who is to blame for the deaths of your loved ones go on for years without blame. I… no... Naruto will end it now. And end this blight on the world.**"

Eight tails were now plainly visible behind the massive fox. They swayed to and fro, each appearing as if it was about to sweep down and eliminate Orochimaru once and for all. The monster that had once been a man bit its thumb and started to summon. But stopped.

The fox had started to shrink.

Collapse was more the correct word, as the entire body of the fox was sucked into itself and, instants after it started, into a black ball spinning in the palm of Naruto Uzumaki. Similar in size and shape to a rasengan.

But, oh, so different.

Orochimaru nearly laughed. The brat's eyes had even gone back to normal. A demon he could not hope to win against, but a boy with a ball that must weigh as much as a small mountain was as easy to dodge as…

"Gotcha…"

Naruto Uzumaki had one hand on the kunai still imbedded in Orochimaru's bicep and the other placed on his chest.

The black ball was inside his chest.

Orochimaru only had time to change his expression from confidence to horror. He had just enough time to comprehend his mistake. Just enough time to realize he had lost. Naruto only had time to appear at Hinata's side and throw his kunai as far as he could.

Then it happened.

A shock wave came first, blowing the whole section of the city apart and creating a shallow crater hundreds of meters wide. The energy of eight demonic tails of chakra flowed out and through Orochimaru's body much like a rasengan would have.

A rasengan the size of Konoha.

No heat or wind came after. Some say it was a complete destabilization of reality, that chakra was never meant to exist in such a way and that it distorted the time space continuum. Others say it was just really fast and no one could tell what happened. Most choose to ignore that it ever happened, just agreeing that Orochimaru had died in the battle.

In an instant Orochimaru and everything around him was gone.

Not blown apart.

Just gone.

For twenty meters in all directions there was a vacuum and in the blink of an eye the last body and the soul of Orochimaru was gone. Not one atom existed in that space for almost a second. A loud boom followed the death of the sannin. The air had filled the vacuum and had caused ears all over the battlefield to pop from the change in atmospheric pressure. But none of that mattered.

The battle was over.

Konoha had won.

* * *

"Naruto!"

"Naruto."

"Hinata-sama!"

The standing ninja of Konoha walked through the remains of Konoha. The once proud city demolished and burned to points beyond recognition. Shino, Jiraiya, Neji, and Hiashi all jumped through the ruble in the crater created by the enormous energy surge that nearly ended the battle. The only thing left to do was kill and capture the remaining enemies. Now, after a few hours of hearing nothing from the only two Konoha ninja that had been left alive in that area, a search for Naruto and Hinata had begun.

After all, clean-up goes so much faster with kage bunshin no jutsu.

That, and everyone was worried that their future Hokage and his fiancé had died.

"Byakugan!"

Once again, the two Hyuga's activated their advanced bloodline. Once again they viewed everything around them for signs of chakra. And once again, they saw nothing through the chakra thick air. The battle, most notably the last attack, had caused the air to be nearly impossible to see through with either byakugan or regular vision.

Shino, on the other hand, had replenished his insects at his clan house from his secondary hives and now had insect scouts all over the city.

"Still nothing."

"Hiashi-sama… I think we might have to accept that they were eliminated in that chakra singularity."

"No, Neji. I will not rest until we have their bodies or they themselves back with us."

Shino held up a hand and the group of four stopped. A single small bug flew over to him where it landed on his hand. Shino conversed silently with it, having not the same bond he had had with his original hive, and soon addressed the team.

"They're alive."

"What?"

"Where are they?"

"What happened?"

Shino just stared at the group before walking away. He was surprised he had missed their presence back at his clan grounds. The insect reported seeing the blond haired ninja asleep and leaning against an indigo haired ninja, also asleep. Both alive and recovering from chakra exhaustion.

They deserved a break, Shino thought.

"They'll be back soon."

And with that Shino walked away to inform the Hokage her replacement had been found.

In a secluded area of forest, hardly touched by the war, the two ninja in question sat in a field of flowers, their backs against each other and smiles on their faces.

The perfect setting for a happy ending.

Or a joyful beginning.

You would have to be blind not to see.

* * *

Epilogue

* * *

The city of Konoha took months of rebuilding before it was fully functional and back up to its regular speed. Thousands of ninja and citizens were homeless from the battle, some for weeks, but as a community they strove forward. The Konoha-Suna alliance won the war when Suna sent its reserve ninja into Iwa and Kumo and took control of their hidden villages. With next to no ninja defenders at home, Iwa and Kumo were taken over and shut down.

Permanently.

Kiri managed to make a come back and eventually joined the Suna-Konoha alliance when they had enough ninja to be called a hidden village again.

Sakura Haruno was given a medal for her work in the final battle. She saved over two dozen critically injured ninja working in the hospital, and when a single enemy ninja entered her area and tried to finish off one of her patients, she threw herself in the way of the weapon, critically wounding herself for her patients.

The ninja was promptly killed.

Rock Lee was one of the few ninja to come out almost unscathed. He was forced to replace his leg weights, though, after breaking them during the fight. Some say Rock Lee had one of the highest kill totals of all Konoha, but nothing was ever proven as the body parts from people he hit were hard to find and put together.

It would be years before either of them would have the courage to break past the walls they had thrown up between each other and actually date. And when they did, it was only for a few months before they were engaged and wed. Rock Lee was ecstatic and Sakura Haruno had never been happier in her life.

Sasuke Uchiha and Ten-ten survived the battle, barely. Ten-ten had been nearly killed by a stray fire jutsu and Sasuke had used his own body to block half and put the fire on her out in his hurry. Both suffered from serious burns, and shrapnel wounds from explosions that occurred while they were unconscious. But they both survived, and after weeks in the hospital they announced their engagement to the city. And no one disagreed. The only pureblood fanatics that wanted Sasuke to marry another bloodline carrier were soon silenced by Sasuke himself. They were wed less then a year later and retired from being ninja. They run a weapons shop that is the most successful in the city.

Shikamaru was nearly killed by the combination of the Tsuchikage's and Orochimaru's final assaults, but a combination of loving care from his girlfriend and best friend and the cushiony landing he had had on Choji's stomach caused him to survive. The genius was crippled, and was never able to walk right again, but lived. He now hobbles around the city of Suna, followed by little blond haired children that call him father and try to beat him in shoji. Sometimes they do. Temari is expecting a fifth as well.

Choji also survived, and with much less serious injuries. He recovered from his injuries quickly and his fiancé of one day almost demanded that he give up being a ninja for her sake.

He didn't.

She was pissed.

But they came to an understanding.

Ino and Choji were married before Sasuke and Ten-ten. Tsunade was quoted as having never seen such a couple. The groom was twice the height and five times the weight of the bride. But it didn't matter to them, obviously, as they had the largest smiles one could see on their faces.

Kiba Inuzuka also survived, though his loyal friend and partner, Akamaru, did not. The dog took a massive claw for his master, and in return earned his own spot on the Konoha memorial. Kiba's sister and the heir to his clan died in the final battle, leaving him as the sole leader of the Inuzuka clan. He took the job and instantly he changed from a jokester to a business man. Kiba Inuzuka was said to be one of the best clan heads of the Inuzuka clan since its founding.

Shino Aburame took control of his own clan, what was left of it, and started rebuilding. It took years, decades even, but Shino rebuilt the clan's insect hives to their highest population ever and they were constantly growing. He found a strange girl from the village who wasn't grossed out at all by his many holes in his body. In fact, she found the insects to be nice. She was quoted as saying they made love making very interesting, and no one allowed her to go any farther then that. Shino led his clan from the depths of near death to a rebirth, and was rewarded for it with much joy and happiness.

Neji Hyuga became one of the best ninja in the Hyuga clan, becoming ANBU and captain of the Konoha ninja forces before he was twenty. He married a wonderful Hyuga woman and every one of their children was seal free thanks to the first and last decree of the Hyuga clan head.

Gaara of the sand was wed to Matsuri of the sand nearly immediately after the final battle, to no one's surprise. His group's victorious return to Suna sparked a change in the populace towards him and it wasn't long after that when he was appointed as the sixth Kazekage of Suna. He led his city with all the care he had for his wife and their three children. He made sure that his children never thought for a moment that they were unloved. Matsuri turned out to be a wonderful diplomat and accompanied Gaara everywhere. The people of Suna never had a chance to see the demon in Gaara again, only the loving couple that led their city.

Iruka Umino and Anko Mitarashi both survived through the final battle, one on the front lines and the other with the rest of the wounded. They were married soon after, and thereby creating the weirdest couple in Konoha. But they fit so well together that no one ever complained.

And if they did, one or the other would silence them.

Kakashi and Kurenai announced their engagement around the same time Sasuke and Ten-ten did. Much to Jiraiya's dismay, Kakashi had given up his novels for what he called "the real thing". The two became one of the most effective two person ninja team to ever come out of Konoha for years, and even when they both retired to raise their children they still held the records for most top ranking missions completed with a two ninja team.

Jiraiya, the toad sage, left Konoha soon after the final battle. He said it was to travel the world some more, maybe head as far West as he could. Many thought he had died after a few years of not seeing him, but the Paradise novels kept coming out so no one bothered to check. He never returned to Konoha, but kept in close contact with certain people. It was fifteen more years since the final battle when toad summons delivered the summoning scroll of the toads to Naruto, passing on the legacy of the hermit. They said he died peacefully, with a notepad in his hand and a hot springs to spy on.

Tsunade was not as fortunate. She had wanted to travel the world, but was kept in Konoha for years for the training of the next Hokage. When her successor took over, she was given a seat on the elder counsel.

She refused.

Tsunade disappeared over night without a goodbye to anyone except her successor and his wife. They granted her request to leave, reluctantly, and so she left. The legendary sucker traveled as far as the nearest gambling establishment. And the next day she returned to Konoha.

Determined to be the adopted grandmother of her successor's first child.

Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze and Hinata Hyuga married in December in a ceremony that the entire village attended. Immediately after the marriage Naruto was named the Hokage of Konoha, a surprise to no one except him. He was to be trained, but the title was his. He officially took the name of his father on the same day, reestablishing the Namikaze clan name. Hinata Hyuga became Hinata Namikaze on that day, and not one person had ever seen a person be happier.

Naruto became the youngest kage in history, three years before his father. And it was two years after that, also three years before his father, that he first found out that his wife was pregnant with his first child. The same child that had kept Tsunade in the city.

A boy, nearly identical to his father but with his mother's personality.

And then a girl, nearly identical to her mother, except with the energy and openness of her father.

The Namikaze family grew and grew over the years, and eventually Naruto and Hinata were the parents of eight children. Some adopted and some their own.

Naruto, despite his young age, was one of the most respected kage's in all of the elemental nations. The fire and wind nations under the rule of the lords with the backing of their hidden villages brought peace to the elemental nations. Ninjas no longer fought against other villages, but only against bandits and missing ninja. The great ninja wars ended with the death of Orochimaru. The nations prospered in the peace and the world was better for it. And Naruto Namikaze never had to use Hiraishin again.

Except to get home to his wife.

The mental scaring caused by his past battles faded into history as a bright new future rose on his horizon.

Fin

* * *

AN: The End. I don't think a sequel would work, so don't ask. So... what did you think? Are you going to go back and read it all over again.

I did.

A few times.

It really is good to go back and look at your past work and see how you've developed. I think I have improved as a writer throughout this story and, despite the mistakes, will continue to improve.

So thanks for reading and I hope to see your reviews in my next fics.

Tazaki4


End file.
